Bourrée in E minor

"Bourrée"
Single by Jethro Tull
from the album Stand Up
B-side	"Fat Man"
Released	1969
Recorded	1969
Genre	Jazz fusion
Length	3:46
Label	Chrysalis, Island, Reprise, Fontana
Songwriter(s)	J.S. Bach, arr. Ian Anderson
Producer(s)	Ian Anderson, Terry Ellis
Jethro Tull singles chronology

Bourrée in E minor is a popular lute piece, the fifth movement from Suite in E minor for Lute, BWV 996 (BC L166) written by Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece is arguably one of the most famous pieces among guitarists.[1]

J.S. Bach 'Bourree in E minor' (BWV 996)

A bourrée was a type of dance that originated in France with quick duple meter and an upbeat.[2] Though the bourrée was popular as a social dance and shown in theatrical ballets during the reign of Louis XIV of France, the Bourrée in E minor was not intended for dancing.[2] Nonetheless, some of the elements of the dance are incorporated in the piece.[2]

Bach wrote his lute pieces in a traditional score rather than in lute tablature, and some believe that Bach played his lute pieces on the keyboard.[2] No original script of the Suite in E minor for Lute by Bach is known to exist.[3] However, in the collection of one of Bach's pupils, Johann Ludwig Krebs, there is one piece ("Praeludio – con la Suite da Gio: Bast. Bach") that has written "aufs Lauten Werck" ("for the lute-harpsichord") in unidentified handwriting.[3] Some argue that despite this reference, the piece was meant to be played on the lute as demonstrated by the texture.[3] Others argue that since the piece was written in E minor, it would be incompatible with the baroque lute which was tuned to D minor.[4] Nevertheless, it may be played with other string instruments, such as the guitar, mandola or mandocello, and keyboard instruments, and it is especially well-known among guitarists.[5] The tempo of the piece is fairly quick and smooth. It also demonstrates counterpoint, as the two voices move independently of one another.[1] Furthermore, the Bourrée in E minor demonstrates binary form.[6]

In classical music

Robert Schumann quotes the first 14 notes of this memorable theme (transposed to G minor) in #3 of the Op. 60, 6 Fugues on B–A–C–H, where he neatly combines it with the B♭ A C B motif. There also appears to be an echo of this reference in the next fugue, #4.

Jethro Tull version

Jethro Tull used the first part (first eight bars) of the piece in the third track in their August 1969 album Stand Up, "Bourée",[7] which was also released as a single that year. Alternative versions of the same track appear on The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, A Little Light Music and the 25th Anniversary Box Set and is a band favorite for live concerts. In April 2011, a portion of this was also played as a duet by Cady Coleman from the ISS and Ian Anderson on tour in Perm, Russia.[8]

In popular culture

The piece has been used by a number of musicians:

Paul McCartney has said in interviews and on tours that the songs "Blackbird" and "Jenny Wren" were both inspired by variations and alterations to the bourrée.[9]
The London Blues-rock group Bakerloo released their arrangement of the tune, titled "Drivin' Bachwards", as a single on Harvest Records (HAR 5004) in July 1969. The same recording appeared on their self-titled debut album (Harvest SHVL 762) the following December.
Led Zeppelin has used this piece in live performances while playing "Heartbreaker".[10]
Tenacious D used it for their songs, "Rock Your Socks" and "Classico", which was played in Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny.[11]
Yngwie Malmsteen has also been known to integrate this, among other works by Bach, into his live sets.[12][1]
Leo Kottke performs "Bouree" on the album Mudlark.[1]
Lenny Breau re-harmonized this piece and recorded it on the album Minors Aloud under the title "On a Bach Bouree".
Alter Bridge used this riff as the chorus to "Wayward One", the closing track of their 2007 album Blackbird.
Jam-80 a short-lived Icelandic band featuring Björk recorded it on a demo cassette.
It has been adapted for the Commodore 64 version of Black Lamp.
Blizzard composer Glenn Stafford used it in the soundtrack for Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness in the second half of the song titled "Human 2".
Jon Lord composed Bouree on his album Sarabande.
Blues Saraceno does a cover of the piece on his 1994 Album Hairpick.

References

Mark Phillips; Jon Chappell (2008). Guitar Exercises for Dummies. For Dummies. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-470-38766-5.
Nancy Bachus; Daniel Glover (2000). The Baroque Spirit, Bk 2: Book & CD. Alfred Music Publishing. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7390-0502-6.
Hannu Annala; Heiki Mätlik (2008). Handbook of Guitar and Lute Composers. Mel Bay Publications. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7866-5844-2.
Johann Sebastian Bach; Jozsef Eotvos (2002). J. S. Bach: The Complete Lute Works. Mel Bay Publications. p. vi. ISBN 978-0-7866-6819-9.
Elizabeth T. Knuth. "Bourrée". Retrieved 2007-12-18.
Bill Purse (2003). The PrintMusic! primer: mastering the art of music notation with Finale PrintMusic!. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-87930-754-7.
Jethro Tull, Scott Allen Nollen, Ian Anderson (McFarland, 2001) Page 47
Stephanie Schierholz (2011-04-12). "NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Perform First Space-Earth Flute Duet". Archived from the original on 2017-11-12. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
Bass Player. "He Can Work It Out". Archived from the original on 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
Songfacts. "Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin". Retrieved 2007-12-18.
Kickass Classical. "The Most Popular Classical Music". Archived from the original on 2006-04-02. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
Chordie. "Bachs Bouree by Yngwie Malmsteen". Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2007-12-18.

External links

Lute Pieces, BWV 995-1000: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
Sheet Music
Sheet Music from Mutopia
Guitar Information
The Origin of Jethro Tull's Bourrée

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[PhillipsChappell2008-1] Mark Phillips; Jon Chappell (2008). Guitar Exercises for Dummies. For Dummies. p. 87. ISBN 978-0-470-38766-5.

[BachusGlover2000-2] Nancy Bachus; Daniel Glover (2000). The Baroque Spirit, Bk 2: Book & CD. Alfred Music Publishing. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7390-0502-6.

[AnnalaMätlik2008-3] Hannu Annala; Heiki Mätlik (2008). Handbook of Guitar and Lute Composers. Mel Bay Publications. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7866-5844-2.

[BachEotvos2002-4] Johann Sebastian Bach; Jozsef Eotvos (2002). J. S. Bach: The Complete Lute Works. Mel Bay Publications. p. vi. ISBN 978-0-7866-6819-9.

[5] Elizabeth T. Knuth. "Bourrée". Retrieved 2007-12-18.

[Purse2003-6] Bill Purse (2003). The PrintMusic! primer: mastering the art of music notation with Finale PrintMusic!. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-87930-754-7.

[7] Jethro Tull, Scott Allen Nollen, Ian Anderson (McFarland, 2001) Page 47

[8] Stephanie Schierholz (2011-04-12). "NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman, Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Perform First Space-Earth Flute Duet". Archived from the original on 2017-11-12. Retrieved 2017-11-12.

[9] Bass Player. "He Can Work It Out". Archived from the original on 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2007-12-18.

[10] Songfacts. "Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin". Retrieved 2007-12-18.

[11] Kickass Classical. "The Most Popular Classical Music". Archived from the original on 2006-04-02. Retrieved 2007-12-18.

[12] Chordie. "Bachs Bouree by Yngwie Malmsteen". Archived from the original on 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2007-12-18.

Compositions for organ, keyboard and lute by Johann Sebastian Bach
Organ	Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a (doubtful) Sonatas, BWV 525–530 Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 531 Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 Toccata and Fugue in D minor ("Dorian"), BWV 538 Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540 Fantasia and Fugue in G minor ("Great"), BWV 542 Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544 Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546 Prelude and Fugue in E minor ("Wedge"), BWV 548 Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553–560 (doubtful) Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 562 Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564 Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (doubtful) Prelude (Toccata) and Fugue in E major, BWV 566 Fantasia ("Pièce d'Orgue") in G major, BWV 572 Fugue in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578 Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 Concertos, BWV 592–597 Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599–644 Schübler Chorales, BWV 645–650 Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668 Chorale partita Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig, BWV 768 Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her", BWV 769 Neumeister chorales, BWV 1090–1120 Chorale fantasia Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 1128
Keyboard	Aria variata alla maniera italiana Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue Harpsichord solo concertos English Suites Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906 French Suites Goldberg Variations discography Gould recording Inventions and Sinfonias Italian Concerto Overture in the French style Partitas, BWV 825–830 No. 4 No. 6 Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938 The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893 I: C, BWV 846 c, BWV 847 C♯, BWV 848 c♯, BWV 849 e, BWV 855 g, BWV 861 II: C, BWV 870 c, BWV 871 c♯, BWV 873 d, BWV 875 f, BWV 881 g♯, BWV 887 b♭, BWV 891 b, BWV 893 Toccatas, BWV 910–916
Lute	Suite in G minor, BWV 995 Suite in E minor, BWV 996 Bourrée Suite in C minor, BWV 997 Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E♭ major, BWV 998 Prelude in C minor, BWV 999 Fugue in G minor, BWV 1000
Mixed collections	Clavier-Übung III: Prelude and Fugue in E♭ major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552, Chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, Duets, BWV 802–805 Concerto transcriptions, BWV 592–596 and 972–987 Klavierbüchlein W. F. Bach Notebook A. M. Bach Twelve Little Preludes
List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach List of fugal works by Johann Sebastian Bach List of concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach