Taught by renowned violist
Paul Laraia
Join renowned violist Paul Laraia in his insightful course on Bach's Suite No. 2 for Cello, played on viola, where he emphasizes identifying key musical events and shifts in texture and harmony to shape your interpretation. Each movement is explored with a focus on creating a clear narrative and guiding the listener through the piece with thoughtful phrasing, articulation, and structural clarity. Laraia's approach ensures that your performance is both musically engaging and deeply informed, offering a compelling interpretation of this timeless work.
I. Prélude
In the first part of Paul Laraia's course on Bach's Suite No. 2, explore the "Prelude" with a focus on identifying the main musical events and shifts in texture and harmony. Laraia guides you in using these elements to shape your interpretation, helping you to create a clear and compelling narrative within the movement. His approach ensures that each phrase is thoughtfully connected, providing listeners with a guiding framework that enhances their understanding of the piece.
II. Allemande
Join Paul Laraia as he navigates the "Allemande," emphasizing the importance of recognizing key harmonic changes and textural contrasts. By pinpointing these moments, Laraia helps you to craft a performance that highlights the movement’s lyrical qualities while maintaining a strong rhythmic foundation. His insights into fingerings, bowing, and phrasing are aimed at drawing attention to the movement's most significant musical events, allowing you to guide the listener through the piece with clarity and grace.
III. Courante
In this lesson, Paul Laraia explores the dynamic "Courante" focusing on the movement's rhythmic vitality and harmonic shifts. Laraia teaches you how to emphasize the main musical events, using these to drive the momentum and energy of the movement. By carefully articulating changes in texture and harmony, you will learn to maintain the listener’s engagement and highlight the Courante’s lively, dance-like character.
IV. Sarabande
Discover the "Sarabande" with Paul Laraia’s approach of highlighting pivotal moments in harmony and texture. This movement’s deep emotional content is brought to life as Laraia guides you in identifying and emphasizing key changes that inform the overall mood. By focusing on these elements, you will create a performance that resonates with emotional depth, offering the listener a clear and impactful interpretation.
V. Menuett I & II
Paul Laraia examines the contrasting "Minuets I & II" helping you to identify the main musical events that define each section. He explains how shifts in texture and harmony can guide your interpretative choices, allowing you to distinguish between the elegance of Minuet I and the playful nature of Minuet II. This approach ensures a performance that is both cohesive and rich in character, providing the listener with a clear framework to follow.
VI. Gigue
Conclude your study of Bach’s Suite No. 2 with the "Gigue" where Paul Laraia emphasizes the importance of recognizing key musical events and harmonic shifts. By focusing on these aspects, Laraia teaches you to maintain the movement's rhythmic drive while ensuring that changes in texture are clearly articulated. This approach results in a performance that is both vibrant and structurally sound, offering the listener a well-defined and engaging musical journey.
Click here to download the course workbook PDF and see the full syllabus →Click below to access hundreds of exclusive cello courses, available only on tonebase.
Unlock Course →Violist Paul Laraia is a first Prize winner of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, the National Sphinx Competition, and Gold Medalist at the Manhattan International Music Competition.
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