J.S. BACH Cello Suite No.1. Transcription for double bass by T. Pelczar | db - Tomasz Januchta

Lost transcription - arrangement of J.S. Bach's cello suites for double bass by Tadeusz Pelczar
00:00 Prelude
03:54 Allemande
09:46 Courante
13:34 Sarabande
17:21 Menuet I, II
21:44 Gigue
Few people know that in Poland in the 1970s, a collection of transcriptions of cello suites by J.S. Bach for double bass was created, being unique on a global scale. For many years they had been developed by Tadeusz Pelczar, the first double bass player of the National Philharmonic and a longtime professor at the Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. The suites were published in 1971 by the PWM Edition and have been reissued twice. Despite the fact the material has been performed by students of Polish universities, it has not been comprehensively recorded and widely popularized in the world. Only fragmentary recordings of the arrangement can be found online, and the knowledge of Tadeusz Pelczar and his legacy is practically non-existent.
While developing cello suites for double bass, Tadeusz Pelczar - driven by the desire to familiarize double bass players with Bach's music - wanted to extract the fullness of the proper sound of the modern instrument. It was for this purpose that he decided to develop only five of the six suites and omitted the bourrée from the fifth and the prelude from the third suite. He also made controversial decisions to change the key of the suites, and even the key of individual parts within each piece. Regardless of how we view such ideas today, the collection of transcriptions is deeply thought-out, coherent, technically demanding and, above all, masterful in emphasizing the values of the contemporary double bass. It is a pity that such an achievement has been almost forgotten. Yet, with my project, I want to introduce you to this amazing transcription.
Enjoy,
Tomasz Januchta
Funded within the scholarship of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland
Zrealizowano w ramach stypendium Ministra Kultury, Dziedzictwa Narodowego i Sportu
Partners:
Warsaw Philharmonic
PWM Edition (Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne)
Henryk Wieniawski Music Society in Poznań
City of Poznan
Warsaw Zoological Garden
Pracownia Wschodnia
Cinematographer and editor: Kuba Kossak
Sound engineer: Antoni Grzymała
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Menuet - Bach and talking images
I recorded the first Bach’s Cello Suite arranged by Tadeusz Pelczar for double bass in the fall of 2021 at the seat of the Stowarzyszenie Pracownia Wschodnia [Pracownia Wschodnia Association] in Warsaw's Praga district. Having been living here for many years, I still can't get over the multitude of contrasts and colours that make up the image of this part of the capital. How much is still to be discovered here!
I came across the Pracownia Wschodnia while walking my dog. It’s a gallery, which to me is a wonderful neighbourly example of the operation of various artistic and craft initiatives under one roof. A screen printing studio, a low-circulation publishing house, a bookbinding workshop, an analogue photography place and a large exhibition hall, from time to time serving as a concert room - all of them operate on a daily basis in the historic premises with the magnificent display windows overlooking Plac Hallera [Haller Square].
Neighbourhood is a key word for art too. In the recording you’re going to see, pictures, photographs and sculptures in natural light and Bach's music observe one another, corresponding and merging together; they can develop an intimate dialogue in the perception of the viewer-listener. The diversity of artists' visions creates a sense of unity that shimmers with various shades and meanings. The works of the artists I’m writing a few words about below are just as different as the individual parts of Bach’s Suite, yet when put together, they form a perfectly coherent organism.
In each part of the Suita's recording, I am accompanied by a different artist. One of the painters whose exhibition ‘journey’ began in the Pracownia is Antek Lisowski. If you ask me, Antek's painting is a reflection of some inner anxiety, a complicated mechanism of an identity. Also, you will see the jungles and endless seas by Błażej Worsztynowicz. His paintings tell a completely different story - one about our future. In the next part you will spot a meaningful work by Paulina Mirowska, being an intimate record of her observations of nature in a city. We also captured Kasia Rysiak’s ecological photos from the ANIMA series. In the Sarabande part, I’m standing between Radek Skrzypczyk’s huge sculptures from the exhibition Borders, marshes and frost, commenting on the tragic situation of the refugees on the eastern border of Poland.
The metaphysics of Bach's music is touching yet undefined potential of art that is happening here and now. I am very pleased to have become a guest of the Pracownia and recorded a part of my project here. Visit the place offline or online at
pracowniaawschodnia.pl/ .
Translation - Dagmara Łata

[@crlsdario]

Here in México, Polish professors have taught this transcriptions to many generations. Both of them, Dechnik and Kalarus have been principal double bass to the oldest orchestra in this country.

[@MrRobertomushroom]

Kalarus it's my teacher :3

[@crlsdario]

@@MrRobertomushroom aprovéchalo, ponte a estudiar un chingo. Saludos al Maestro.

[@nicolacaprioli6821]

Hi do you know how to find the link. I've been looking for the cello suite n.2 but I can't find It

[@pavelmanEC]

Lo quiero, m3 la puedes compattir

[@p.aaronjones4174]

Thank you for this. Very nice, relaxing and tonally beautiful.

[@sethabel4315]

It puts me at peace to listen to this.

[@doublebassbilbao]

Congratulations, very good, specially remarkable intonation and great sounds !!

[@francescmampel5836]

I have an edition that I bought in Warsaw in 1987. "polskie wydawnietwo muzyczne". I learned to play it in that key.

[@danicotzo1642]

La mejor manera de tocar Bach en el contrabajo !! Que grande !!

[@Robson110530]

Fenomenal

[@sebastian.sem.9]

Excellent!

[@themusiccovenant]

Amazing 👏

[@danbolger4963]

Well played. I transposed the prelude to the key of D years ago and it really takes advantage of the open D string in the same way the original (cello) arrangement uses the open G when you play it on Double Bass. Because I learned it originally in G, it was easy to transpose by ear, I never wrote out the full arrangement but it sounds wonderful on bass. C is nice too but you don't get the benefit of the open string for the initiation of the phrasing. Try it if you're a bass player!

[@rubenmiranda7187]

I wonder, "what would it be (from a technical point of view) in A Major key when played on a Double Bass?" (Dan Bolger, thanks for the suggestion above)

[@allfifthstuning865]

Dear Tomasz, What a beautiful redemption of this suite. The lower key (a fifth down?) really sounds well, I maybe like it even better then the original key.

[@MrRobertomushroom]

Thank u

[@kudlak696]

Pozdrowienia z więzienia 😻

[@crashedcan]

Knowing full well that one of the most beautiful recordings of this piece is going to be made... What are you wearing? Yeah a yellow t-shirt 😅👌

[@tomasfrkal6362]

This is amazing, fantastic! I used to play Prelude on bass guitar, it was quite a tough one back then. And of course it didn't sound so good for many reasons. I think that this piece sounds good on bowed instruments like violoncello or contrabass, of course you can play it on guitar too, but...that´s not it. Personally, I love Mstislav Rostropovich´s presentation of Prelude, it is pure perfection. An extraordinary violoncello player.

[@themusiccovenant]

Excellent. Where can I download this sheet music sir?

[@itayjc1]

Beautiful! Did you use the standard doublebass tuning?

[@MrRandompower]

Beautiful! This key compliments the bass really well! Are these transcriptions of the suites available to purchase somwhere? I havent been able to find them on Google.

[@tomaszjanuchta-doublebassp3182]

Thank you very much. It's not easy to find this edition. PWM is considering a re-edition next year. Please contact me by e-mail. Maybe I can help you find a solution. TJ

[@nodfactor8808]

I would also very much love to find these transcriptions. Would it be okay if I reached out to you for assistance as well?

[@zuzannaszmidt4610]

[@Anonymous-rp4hn]

Impressive! What key is this in?

[@tomaszjanuchta-doublebassp3182]

Thank You! It is in C major.