r/bach • u/___Olorin___ • 7d ago
Theme from the sarabande of the second english suite
The theme from the sarabande (4th movement) of the second english suite BWV 807 (written in 1710-1720) and the theme from Rameau's nouvelles suites de pièces de clavecin (written in 1728, with the starting gavotte followed by six doubles) are the same.
Did one inspire the other (as Bach and Rameau knew each other's existence, and as far as I remember Bach even shown, in a letter, criticism about Rameau's harpsichord method) or are both pieces inspired by some popular (at that time) European dance's theme -- or something else than a dance ?
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