<P> It is widely believed that Suite No. 6 was composed specifically for a five - stringed violoncello piccolo, a smaller cello, roughly ​ ⁄ normal cello size with a fifth upper string tuned to E, a perfect fifth above the otherwise top string . However, some say there is no substantial evidence to support this claim: whilst three of the sources inform the player that it is written for an instrument à cinq cordes, only Anna Magdalena Bach's manuscript indicates the tunings of the strings, and the other sources do not mention any intended instrument at all . </P> <P> Other possible instruments for the suite include a cello da spalla, a version of the violoncello piccolo played on the shoulder like a viola, as well as a viola with a fifth string tuned to E, called a viola pomposa . As the range required in this piece is very large, the suite was probably intended for a larger instrument, although it is conceivable that Bach--who was fond of the viola--may have performed the work himself on an arm - held violoncello piccolo . However, it is equally likely that beyond hinting the number of strings, Bach did not intend any specific instrument at all as the construction of instruments in the early 18th century was highly variable . </P> <P> Cellists playing this suite on a modern four - string cello encounter difficulties as they are forced to use very high positions to reach many of the notes . Performers specialising in early music and using authentic instruments generally use the five - string cello for this suite . The approach of Watson Forbes, in his transcription of this suite for viola, was to transpose the entire suite to G major, avoiding "a tone colour which is not very suitable for this type of music" and making most of the original chords playable on a four - stringed instrument . </P> <P> This suite is written in much more free form than the others, containing more cadenza - like movements and virtuosic passages . It is also the only one of the suites that is partly notated in the alto and soprano clefs (modern editions use tenor and treble clefs), which are not needed for the others since they never go above the note G (G above middle C). </P>

Suite no. 1 in g major for solo cello bwv 1007 i. prelude