--- In bachforguitar@yahoogroups.com, "Alan Melvin" <alan@...> wrote:
>
> In the 6th cello suite the 2/2 beat is almost unavoidable because of the
chords. All other Gavottes I can remember are also in 2/2, but it is possible to
forget and play them as 4/4, and sound like a total dork. Please don't do that
to Bach. Bach wrote a lot of 2/2, which was usually indicated as a c with a line
through it (like the American symbol for "cents"). Even publishers screw this up
sometimes and put "c" by mistake, so be safe, when in doubt tap your foot twice
per measure and see if it sounds less dorky.
>

BJ: I quite agree with the 2/2 beat comment. I am wondering
about the tempo too. And I "feel" that I should use semi-staccato
(forgot the correct term for it) for some other beats. Full
value of written notes does not make sense to me. It is
dance music after all, and the description is that the feet
were lifted in the steps. So how fast was this dance, and
when Bach got to it had it become something else?

Bob