Ron Chaplin wrote:

>Can anyone tell me why one set of Bach's keyboard suites are
>described as "English" and the other is described as "French?"

I don't know about the French Suites, but they may be in the French style
of dance suites.  However, I do know that the English Suites are so called
because one of Bach's pupils' manuscript of the pieces, for no apparent
reason, calls them "faites pour les Anglois." I believe that on the
original codex, an inscription, possibly in Bach's hand, calls them
"Suites avec prelude."

Hope this helps.

John Halbrooks