There are six suites for solo cello, four suites for orchestra, and three cycles of suites for keyboard: French, English and German. This is a form that the great Bach magnified by giving his dances an exceptional contrapuntal depth.
The suite is a succession of instrumental pieces for dancing. It developed at the end of the Renaissance, particularly among lutenists who were responsible for accompanying balls. To vary the pleasures, lively dances alternate with slow dances. Like the architecture of Versailles, this essentially French art form found many imitators in Germany.
Bach, who never left his native land, discovered it during his studies in Lüneburg with a disciple of Jean-Baptiste Lully: it was a revelation, leading to the creation of numerous cycles. The six French Suites for keyboard were written during the golden years in Köthen. They are structured according to the traditional model of French suites, namely four fixed dances – allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue – and a variable number of ‘galanteries’ between the sarabande and the gigue: minuets, gavottes, bourrées, etc.
Rediscover Cédric Pescia, who confirms his predilection for great solo cycles with this collection.
Geneva launch of Cédric Pescia's new album released by La Dolce Volta
Saturday, 21 March 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets Price B
Category 1 Category 2
Full Price 45.- 35.-
AVS/Unemployment 35.- 25.-
Young & Students (<26 ans) 25.- 15.-
Carte 20ans/20francs 20.- 15.-
AI/Reduced Mobility 20.-
1 hour 40 minutes, with intermission
Cédric Pescia, piano
All audiences
Saturday, 21 March 2026, at 6:30 p.m.
Meeting with Cédric Pescia in the hall
On the occasion of the recital Les Suites françaises by Johann Sebastian Bach performed by Cédric Pescia, La Cité Bleue will present a temporary exhibition by Swiss artist Vincent Flückiger, dedicated to the composer’s universe.
The exhibition will bring together some fifteen original drawings, presented in frames (30 × 40 cm format). Created with lively, expressive lines, these illustrations offer a poetic, free and often humorous vision of Johann Sebastian Bach, exploring the composer’s character and musical imagination with imagination. In addition to the drawings, the artist will also present busts of Bach in synthetic resin (approx. 15 × 21 × 12 cm). These works are part of the graphic universe that Vincent Flückiger has been developing for several years around music and Bach, notably in his project “L’ambiance va être chouette !” (The atmosphere is going to be great!), which combines drawing, visual narration and humour.
Based in Basel, Vincent Flückiger is an illustrator and animation director. His work often explores the links between music, graphic narration and animated film, as evidenced by his film dedicated to Bach, Bach-o-matic, in which the visual imagination dialogues with the composer’s musical universe.
Presented only on the evening of the concert, this exhibition offers the public the opportunity to discover another way of entering Bach’s universe, through the unique and energetic gaze of a contemporary artist.
