Movements: Allemande / Courante / Sarabande / Bourrée / Minuet I & II (Trio)

This work, like the Suite in A minor, BWV 818, is thought to be a suite that was not included in a collection of suites. Although there is no definitive proof, it appears to have been written after the completion of the English Suites and before the compilation of the French Suites. However, while the musical content of BWV 818 leans towards an older style, BWV 819 closely resembles the latter half of the French Suites, particularly No. 6. The basis for considering this a candidate for the French Suites—a collection of suites without preludes—lies in its placement in two types of manuscript sources from Bach's time: as one of a set of six suites, and in Gerber's manuscript, as the eighth suite in the collection (along with BWV 818). Furthermore, Bach revised BWV 819, recomposing the Allemande. Ultimately, its exclusion from the suite collection might be due to its competition with the French Suite No. 4, also in E-flat major, in terms of key cycle, or perhaps because BWV 819 as a whole was too similar to No. 6.

Currently, the work commonly known by the catalog number BWV 819a refers to the set of revised movements. Traditionally, it referred only to the new Allemande, but now it denotes the entire revised suite.

The Allemande changed significantly with the revision, notably acquiring a more pronounced chromatic character. Measures 7-11 in the first half, for instance, even convey a slight sense of artificiality. However, upon closer inspection, these four measures feature invertible counterpoint at the seventh. Furthermore, measures 3 and 5 are in a mirror image relationship. In the second half, an inversion at the seventh also occurs in measures 20-21. Such imitations are like experiments in technique carried out within very short harmonic formulas. Since they do not form long, independent passages, they would likely be overlooked by both listeners and performers if not consciously noted.

In contrast, the early version is straightforward and simple, but its sequential progressions can be somewhat monotonous. To address this, the performer must carefully consider the ornaments placed throughout the eighth-note motives.

The Courante is written in an unusual 3/2 time signature. While the beaming of the eighth notes is often 4x3, the actual rhythm frequently suggests 6x2. This means that the entire piece is a compound meter in a duple pulse. Passages such as measures 3 and 9, where the right hand plays eighth notes in 4x3 and the left hand plays quarter notes in 3x2, are not necessarily hemiolas. This can be seen as the composer's playful intention, consciously employing irregular rhythms.

The Sarabande is in the style of a trio sonata, meaning the left hand provides a bass line akin to a string instrument, while the right hand plays two melodic parts. The appoggiaturas should not be played too sharply; they should be performed with a weight equal to that of the written notes.

The Bourrée clearly exhibits a style intermediate between the English Suites and the French Suites. That is, it represents a transitional period between the older type, dominated by quarter-note pulsations, and the type characterized by perpetuum mobile eighth notes. In Bourrées from French Suites such as No. 5 and No. 6, the characteristic Bourrée rhythm (quarter note followed by two eighth notes) and running eighth-note motives alternate in the same voice at short intervals, and there are also many instances where both hands participate in eighth-note passages. In contrast, in the English Suites, one of the voices always maintains a quarter-note pulsation, and the alternation period is longer. The Bourrée of BWV 819a admirably adopts this intermediate style, meaning that while eighth notes respond to the Bourrée rhythm or both hands play the Bourrée rhythm, a significant amount of quarter-note pulsation still remains.

This suite concludes with two minuets. In contrast to Minuet I in E-flat major, Minuet II, which serves as the trio, is remarkably in E-flat minor, a key with six flats. Aside from The Well-Tempered Clavier, there are no other keyboard works by Bach written in this key. It is possible that it was a piece originally written in another key and then transposed.

Bach did not add a Gigue to this suite even during its revision. Concluding a keyboard suite with a Minuet was not particularly unusual at the time. Nevertheless, considering that none of the French Suites deviate from the standard form of Allemande-Courante-Sarabande-(optional dance)-Gigue, this might also be a reason why BWV 819 was not included.