Bourrée in E Minor, BWV 996 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), arranged for classical guitar. This free PDF sheet music includes a notation edition with left-hand fingering and a separate TAB edition in the same pdf as well as a free video performance and lesson. The level is intermediate, approximately Grade 6–7. The video includes both a performance and lesson with tips for learning and interpreting the piece.
Download the Free Sheet Music and Tab
How to Play Bach’s Bourrée BWV 996 on Guitar
Voice independence. Treat the upper and lower voices as separate melodic lines rather than a melody with chordal accompaniment. Practice each voice alone, listening for continuity and phrasing before combining them. The upper voice has stems pointing up and the lower voice has stems pointing down.
Articulation and phrasing. The baroque Bourrée is a lively, fast-paced French dance and musical form in duple meter that often appeared as an optional movement in the instrumental suite. It often has a distinctive single-beat or quarter-note upbeat (anacrusis) right before the main measure starts. The phrasing should retain a sense of rhythmic movement rather than becoming overly heavy or sustained.
Second-half difficulty. The second half of the work is significantly more difficult than the first half. Plan your practice sessions accordingly and dedicate more time to the second half during your initial learning of the piece. Once you can play the entire work slowly with a metronome you can work your way up to a performance tempo.
About Bach’s Bourrée, BWV 996
The Bourrée is the fifth movement of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite in E Minor, BWV 996, a six-movement Baroque suite consisting of a Prelude-Presto, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bourrée, and Gigue.
A bourrée is a lively dance in duple meter that typically begins with an upbeat. In Bach’s BWV 996 Bourrée, two independent melodic voices interact contrapuntally, making clarity of the individual lines especially important.
BWV 996 is commonly called a lute suite, although the original instrument is uncertain and the work may have been intended for the Lautenwerck (lute-harpsichord). Regardless of its original instrumentation, the suite has become an important part of the classical guitar repertoire.
Complete Suite in E Minor, BWV 996
I also have the entire suite available: Suite in E Minor BWV 996 by Bach (Complete), Advanced. This contains all 5 movements of the suite, again with a notation edition and a separate tab edition in the same pdf.
More Sheet Music by Bach
See all my editions of Bach’s music on a dedicated page: Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Sheet Music for Classical Guitar.
Grade 4 +