Bach on the Lute | Volumes I & II

The Lute Works of Johann Sebastian Bach: A Two-Volume Edition

This two-volume edition, transcribed and edited by Nigel North—an internationally renowned lutenist and leading specialist in the music of Bach, whose complete recording of the composer’s lute works for Linn Records is a benchmark—offers a comprehensive exploration of the so-called “lute” works of Johann Sebastian Bach, a fascinating corpus in which the plucked-string instrument engages with the composer’s virtuosity and contrapuntal richness.

Volume I gathers the pieces traditionally associated with the lute or the lautenwerk, a keyboard instrument designed to imitate the timbre of the lute. It includes the Suites BWV 995 to 999, the Prelude, Fuga and Allegro BWV 998, the FugueBWV 1000, and the Partita BWV 1006a. These works reflect Bach’s ability to adapt his musical ideas to a specific sound world, although he likely never played the lute himself. The volume presents a transcription in French tablature, faithful to eighteenth-century practices, ideal for a historically informed and stylistically accurate interpretation. Fingerings added by the editor are printed in red to distinguish them clearly from the original musical text.

Volume II complements this collection with solo lute transcriptions of the famous Sonatas, Partitas, and Suites originally composed for violin, cello, or harpsichord (BWV 1001 to 1013). These arrangements, which include variants in scordatura, reveal the stylistic richness and technical complexity of Bach’s repertoire as adapted to the plucked-string medium. This volume invites performers to explore an extended expressive palette, combining musical depth with instrumental virtuosity.

Together, these two volumes offer lutenists and early music enthusiasts an essential overview of the unique relationship between Bach and the lute, through a rigorous, stylistically informed transcription that remains faithful to the original sources.

Nigel North – Lutenist, Professor, Writer

Internationally renowned British lutenist Nigel North has been playing the lute since his teenage years. He has taught at Indiana University Bloomington since 1999, following previous appointments in London, Berlin, and The Hague. A self-taught lutenist, he was inspired by Michael Schäffer, Gustav Leonhardt, and the duo Tuck and Patti.

His lifelong passion for Bach is central to his career. In 1996, Julian Bream said he was “dazzled by the mastery and musicality” of Nigel’s Bach recital in London.

Among his major publications and recordings: Continuo Playing on the Lute, Archlute and Theorbo (Faber), Bach on the Lute (Linn Records), as well as works by John Dowland, Silvius Leopold Weiss, and Francesco da Milano.

Jean-Daniel Forget – IT Specialist, Lutenist

Passionate about the Baroque repertoire, Jean-Daniel Forget is a self-taught lutenist who has been copying and sharing early music manuscripts for nearly twenty years. An IT professional by trade, he is proficient in music notation software adapted for tablature.

In collaboration with Guy Grangereau, he publishes tablatures on a dedicated website. He has also assisted Miguel Serdoura in preparing his editions and the Baroque Lute Method.

Le Luth Doré Urtext Editions

Le Luth Doré Urtext Editions offer scores faithful to historical sources, optimized for musicians and musicologists. Our editions combine careful engraving, practical layout, durable materials, and detailed critical apparatus in multiple languages.

Each text is meticulously established note by note to ensure an authentic restitution of the works, including original fingerings and ornamentations, as well as relevant stylistic suggestions.

Created by experts, our editions provide clear readability and enlightened interpretation of early music repertoire.

• Editor(s): Nigel North
• Period: Baroque
• Instrument: Baroque lute 11-course / 13-course
• Instrumentation: Solo
• Notation: French tablature
• Edition: Modern Urtext
• Publisher: Le Luth Doré Urtext Editions
• Publication Year: 2023
• Collection: Lute and Theorbo Music Collection

Volume 1: 208 pp. – 230×310 mm – 0.740 kg – Sewn perfect binding – ISMN 377-0-0017-8838-8
Volume 2: 296 pp. – 230×310 mm – 1.100 kg – Sewn perfect binding – ISMN 377-0-0017-8839-5

Contents of Volume I

• Suite in G minor, BWV 995
• Suite in E minor, BWV 996
• Suite in C minor, BWV 997
• Prelude, Fuga and Allegro in E flat major, BWV 998
• Prelude in C minor, BWV 999
• Fuga in G minor, BWV 1000
• Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a

Appendix 1: Tablatures from Bach’s contemporaries
• Suite in G minor, BWV 995
• Suite in C minor, BWV 997
• Fuga in G minor, BWV 1000

Appendix 2: Sacred works with obbligato lute parts and related works
• Aria: “Komm, süßes Kreuz,” (Liuto)
• Arioso: “Betrachte, meine Seel’” (Liuto)

Contents of Volume II

• Sonata in G minor after BWV 1001
• Partita in A minor after BWV 1002
• Sonata in A minor after BWV 1003
• Sonata in A minor (scordatura) after BWV 1003
• Partita in D minor after BWV 1004
• Sonata in C Major after BWV 1005
• Partita in F Major BWV 1006
• Suite in C Major after BWV 1007
• Suite in A minor after BWV 1008
• Suite in G Major after BWV 1009
• Suite in B flat Major after BWV 1010
• Suite in A Major (scordatura) after BWV 1010
• Suite in G minor BWV 1011/995
• Suite in D Major after BWV 1012
• Suite in C Major (scordatura) after BWV 1012
• Partita in A minor after BWV 1013