These suites are just magnificent. Perhaps my favorite Bach — the lone voice just speaks to me. (In the early days of the pandemic, this was the only music I could listen to.)
The Netherlands Bach Ensemble produced an incredible series of videos with each suite performed by a different cellist. Definitely check out the Sixth Suite — played on the five-stringed shoulder cello Bach may have had in mind for that final suite.
Great recording at the end - I'd never heard that period instrument before. Thanks for sharing.
Who made your preferred recordings of the cello suites? I also love Janos Starker, the first Yo Yo Ma, Alisa Weilerstein, and Edgar Meyer's recording on bass.
Yo-Yo’s recordings are essential for me. It's a tossup between his first (so much energy) and his last set (more contemplative and searching). I also love the 2008 recording from Jean-Guihen Queyras, such a phenomenal sound.
I wonder if the “out of tune’ of the last example was not because Bach was in a mood but because he was “ear training” a student . Although maybe he was in a mood at a student that was giving him trouble/attiitude and this was his way to poke or provoke them to greater heights.
Thank you Evan for the work you are putting in on this project.
Yes the random solo at the middle of an otherwise normal prelude in suite no. 6 is definitely something that always reminded me of the break at the middle of the song in Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin. One might ask if this random break and the successive solo is only a small residue of what was normal but never kept in record in these times: namely the heavy improvisation these people did. I think they would have laughed at the thought of going to a concert to listen to the same piece played with the same notes more than one times or so I have read. Bach was also very well known for his improvisations on organ. So my very humble opinion is that this heavy metal solo break is only one of the very few actual improvisations written down by Bach. There is also a similar thing happening with the harpsichord solo break at the middle of Brandemburg 5. I think they considered writing down a piece after it was performed a little of a waste of time and they would definitely not write down just another one of the million improvisations. Except in this case imagine listening to an organ improvisation by someone who wrote the Passacaglia BWV 582.
Definitely hear the Whole Lotta Love break with you there.
Beethoven was also a king of improvisation -- excerpting from a biography I read last year: 'His improvisations, which displayed the full range of his emotional moods, moved audience members powerfully, at times even to tears. He seemed to take pleasure in mocking their responses. Carl Czerny cites one of Beethoven's outbursts: "You are fools. Who can live among such spoiled children!"'
As a heavy metal fan, I'm in full agreement that these suites are METAL! I was fortunate enough to see Yo Yo Ma perform these in a small, local church. Sublime.
I can whistle it! I'll find it for you soon. (I had a collection of Tchaikovsky ballet suites on 2cds -- so I know the tunes but not sure which ones comes from which ballet aside from some of the most famous Nutcracker and Swan Lake themes.)
These suites are just magnificent. Perhaps my favorite Bach — the lone voice just speaks to me. (In the early days of the pandemic, this was the only music I could listen to.)
The Netherlands Bach Ensemble produced an incredible series of videos with each suite performed by a different cellist. Definitely check out the Sixth Suite — played on the five-stringed shoulder cello Bach may have had in mind for that final suite.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLecKPCyj4yROEWW268aqNqgeo0tiehjZf&si=NnzjNOwqf4yzN-yd
Great recording at the end - I'd never heard that period instrument before. Thanks for sharing.
Who made your preferred recordings of the cello suites? I also love Janos Starker, the first Yo Yo Ma, Alisa Weilerstein, and Edgar Meyer's recording on bass.
Yo-Yo’s recordings are essential for me. It's a tossup between his first (so much energy) and his last set (more contemplative and searching). I also love the 2008 recording from Jean-Guihen Queyras, such a phenomenal sound.
I wonder if the “out of tune’ of the last example was not because Bach was in a mood but because he was “ear training” a student . Although maybe he was in a mood at a student that was giving him trouble/attiitude and this was his way to poke or provoke them to greater heights.
Thank you Evan for the work you are putting in on this project.
All plausible answers! It’s almost nice to know that we will never know…
Appreciate the kind words, David!
The Allemande from Suite 6 is my favorite movement. So much emotion!
An epic 10 minutes.
So gorgeous! Unbelievable.
Yes the random solo at the middle of an otherwise normal prelude in suite no. 6 is definitely something that always reminded me of the break at the middle of the song in Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin. One might ask if this random break and the successive solo is only a small residue of what was normal but never kept in record in these times: namely the heavy improvisation these people did. I think they would have laughed at the thought of going to a concert to listen to the same piece played with the same notes more than one times or so I have read. Bach was also very well known for his improvisations on organ. So my very humble opinion is that this heavy metal solo break is only one of the very few actual improvisations written down by Bach. There is also a similar thing happening with the harpsichord solo break at the middle of Brandemburg 5. I think they considered writing down a piece after it was performed a little of a waste of time and they would definitely not write down just another one of the million improvisations. Except in this case imagine listening to an organ improvisation by someone who wrote the Passacaglia BWV 582.
Definitely hear the Whole Lotta Love break with you there.
Beethoven was also a king of improvisation -- excerpting from a biography I read last year: 'His improvisations, which displayed the full range of his emotional moods, moved audience members powerfully, at times even to tears. He seemed to take pleasure in mocking their responses. Carl Czerny cites one of Beethoven's outbursts: "You are fools. Who can live among such spoiled children!"'
haha amazing!
As a heavy metal fan, I'm in full agreement that these suites are METAL! I was fortunate enough to see Yo Yo Ma perform these in a small, local church. Sublime.
What a treat.
What a coincidence! I've been listening to this CD set over the last month or so. Great notes!!
Former ballerina here: curious which Tchaikovsky ballet you were humming?
I can whistle it! I'll find it for you soon. (I had a collection of Tchaikovsky ballet suites on 2cds -- so I know the tunes but not sure which ones comes from which ballet aside from some of the most famous Nutcracker and Swan Lake themes.)
Thank you. This is a great argument for me buying this very soon.