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So, I've given in, and am considering buying a proper copy of Bach's cello suites - Mutopia doesn't have some of the suites, has a lot of incorrect notes and curious bowings - and I'd like a nice book - printed sheets *continuously* fall off music stands (Anybody know a solution for this, incidently?).

My question is, is there a particularly good edition of the cello suites, or are they all the same, apart from the front covers? Also, is there a non-evil publisher I should buy from?

Thanks

here http://www.icking-music-archive.org/sco ... 100712.pdf
or here
http://www.icking-music-archive.org/ByC ... S.Bach.php
It 's urtext.
If you need fingerings or particoular bowings you must buy a part revised by a cellist .There are a lot of editions.It depend on what you need....Ciao

Oh wow, that looks amazing, thanks. * gets out his printer and sticky tape *

Hi, if you wish purchase the score instead of downloading the pdf file, the following editions might be of interest to you:

Published by Baerenreiter:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp ... em-_-Title

Critical performing edition published by Baerenreiter:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp ... em-_-Title

Published by Salabert:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp ... em-_-Title

Published by C. F. Peters:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp ... em-_-Title

Published by Muzyka:
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/store/smp ... em-_-Title

Hope this helps.

Here is a great place to buy the cello Bach Suites (there are many editions of them):

http://www.cellos2go.com/search2.php

and Search by Title for Suites or Suite

They have almost everything you could want for cello btw.

How much of a difference would there be between editions? Is it just the writing, bowings, or what?

I've found that it's usually the bowings and articulation, and these do make a pretty big difference, in my experience.

What is a "performing edition"?

These editions differ in notes, articulations, dynamics, fingerings, rhythms, chords, phrasing marks, bowings, among other things. A performers editions would have things written down to help the performer such as hairpin crescendos and diminuendos or dynamics, (Bach only wrote "f" and "p" in suite no. 6.) Although there is even discrepancy about that as there is no actual manuscript from J. S. Bach himself. There are four sources of manuscripts (one from Ann Magdelena Bach, one by Kellner and 2 others by unknown copyists form the 2nd half of the 1700's.) The printed editions are very diverse in their markings. This being the case many cellist prefer to buy an edition with only the notes (no bowings) and then put the bowings in themselves.

The cellist at my uni (he was in the Macquarie Trio), has always discouraged using someone else's marks. He always says to work it out yourself (after all, you will learn more...)

My colleague who plays the violin also said the same thing, and that is also why he prefers Urtext editions (eg. Henle that are free of performance directions) instead of performing editions. He feels that one would not be able to express oneself if he follows the performance directions and articulations written by the editors in performing editions. This also restricts or limits the ability of a person to express oneself with the instrument.