Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 2 - The Basics
You've probably heard Bach's Badinerie before - it's one of his most recognisable tunes! Bach composed this piece during his incredibly productive six-year stint in Köthen, Germany, where he also created the famous Brandenburg Concertos.
The Suite No. 2 belongs to the Baroque tradition of orchestral suites - basically collections of pieces styled like French dances of the time. Think of it as an 18th-century playlist! Each suite typically started with a prelude and featured different instrument combinations.
This particular suite stars the baroque flute as the solo instrument. Unlike modern flutes, the baroque version was made of wood with ivory joints and had just six finger holes on top plus one thumb hole. Players had to master tricky "cross fingering" to play sharps and flats, making it quite challenging to perform.
Quick Tip: The baroque flute's lowest note was D above middle C, and players blew across a hole rather than using a mouthpiece - quite different from today's metal flutes!
