J.S. Bach Cello Suites
Structure: there are six suites and each contains six dances.
I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabange
V. Minuet / Bourrée / Gavotte
VI. Gigue
While they were discovered and published in 1825, the cello suites were practically unknown for almost 200 years. At the time they were first published, no composer was writing for solo cello. However, in 1915, Zoltan Kodaly and Max Reger both composed for unaccompanied cello, causing more composers to follow.
In 1889, 13-year-old Pablo Casals found a copy of the suites in a second-hand music shop. He took them home to play and fell in love with them. In 1936, Casals was the first cellist to record the suites. Once his recordings were released, the suites grew in popularity. They became a crucial part of every cellist repertoire.