Bach composed six "French Suites". Bach himself titled them "Suites for Clavier", and the person who coined the name "French Suites" is unknown. It is likely that they came to be called this because they are elegant, approachable, and refined music, incorporating a French sensibility. The exact composition date is also unclear, but it is estimated to be around 1722. This is because five pieces from the French Suites, Nos. 1 to 5, are included in the "Clavier-Büchlein" (1722), a collection of pieces Bach first presented to his second wife, Anna Magdalena, whom he married in 1721 after the death of his first wife.

Each suite is composed of several dance movements, typically starting with an Allemande, followed by a Courante, Sarabande, and concluding with a Gigue. These four dance movements form the classical standard form of the keyboard suite established in the late 17th century. Following the custom of the time, Bach employs typical melodic patterns and idioms from the beginning of each piece, making these dances immediately recognizable.

The Allemande, a French word meaning "German," is in 4/4 time and begins on an upbeat. It is a dance that proceeds calmly and continuously without interruption. The Courante is a lively dance at a somewhat fast tempo; in the French style, it is in 3/2 or 6/4 time, while in the Italian style, it is in 3/4 or 3/8 time. The Sarabande is a triple-meter dance of Spanish origin, where two consecutive measures form a unit. It proceeds with solemnity and gravity. The Gigue is a light and fast dance originating from England. Its original time signatures are typically 3/8, 6/8, or 12/8, but Bach sometimes notated it in 4/4 time, dividing each beat into triplets.

While the dance sequence A-C-S-G was standard in Bach's time, various "modern dances" were permitted to be inserted between the Sarabande and the Gigue. Representative examples include the Air, Minuet, Gavotte, and Bourrée. The Air, equivalent to the Italian "aria," is a song-like piece of music. Therefore, the Air is not inherently a dance but an instrumental piece often inserted into dance suites. The Minuet is an elegant and graceful dance that originated in France and became popular in high society. It is in a moderate 3/4 time and was later adopted by Haydn in his symphonies. Furthermore, it is typically divided into two apparent sections, and including repetitions, it takes the form of Minuet-Trio-Minuet da capo. (The middle section is called "Trio" because, in court dances, an obligato instrument was used in the middle section to create a trio texture, adding variety to the sound. In keyboard suites, it is not necessarily written for three voices.) The Gavotte is another bright and lively dance that originated in France and became popular in high society. It is usually in 4/4 time and begins on the third beat. The Bourrée, appearing in No. 5, is of French origin, a light two-beat dance particularly favored in court dances.

Among the six French Suites, the first three are in minor keys, and the latter three are in major keys, with each suite being tonally unified.

No. 3

The Allemande of No. 3 begins imitatively. The melody flows smoothly between two voices, sometimes intertwining, and concludes with a Picardy third at the final cadence. The inserted dance, the Anglaise, means "English style." It is in 2/2 time. The Gigue begins imitatively but does not sustain it, frequently employing parallel sixths in both hands. Overall, it can be described as a work of extremely elegant and flowing writing.