Search - Johann Sebastian Bach :: Bach: Cello Suites

	Johann Sebastian Bach Bach: Cello Suites Genre: Classical A decade ago, Barbara Westphal hurtled into chamber music immortality with a superb disc of the Brahms viola sonatas. Now she joins a small company of brave violists who have recorded all the Bach cello suites on their in... more » « less
? Larger Image

CD Details

All Artists: Johann Sebastian Bach
Title: Bach: Cello Suites
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Bridge
Release Date: 2/22/2000
Genre: Classical
Styles: Chamber Music, Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Classical (c.1770-1830), Instruments, Strings
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 090404909429

Synopsis

Amazon.com

A decade ago, Barbara Westphal hurtled into chamber music immortality with a superb disc of the Brahms viola sonatas. Now she joins a small company of brave violists who have recorded all the Bach cello suites on their instrument. At first, in the Suite No. 1, she sounds tense and aggressive, but don't worry; that's just her conception of that particular piece. Elsewhere, her performances are sleek and modern, but they don't get on your nerves. She adapts the music convincingly for her instrument, and she takes all the marked repeats, although she passes up the opportunity for embellishments (like most cellists, alas). To encourage our exploration, Bridge offers this set as a twofer. Maybe this isn't essential Bach (although the original cello versions are), but it's a fascinating exploration of some very great music. --Leslie Gerber

CD Reviews

A Good Solid Performance of the Bach 'Cello Suites on Viola

josh1000 | West Hollywood, CA USA | 06/10/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As a violist, I have a serious love affair with the Bach 'cello suites. If I were stranded on a desert island and could pick only one volume of pieces to have with me and my viola, I would choose these 6 suites-- so I was naturally excited to find this disc. Overall, it is excellent playing-- although it's perhaps not quite as good as Westphal's recording of the Brahms viola sonatas. Her playing is crisp and to-the-point, and her sound is very nice-- but it occasionally sounds a little hard-edged. This is especially the case with the Prelude to the first suite, with which she takes an unusual approach. Interestingly, she plays Suite #6 in G major (as opposed to the original D major). For a lot of reasons, this makes a lot more sense than playing it in D-- especially with the slow movements-- and comes across successfully. (My only complaint is that the liner notes fail to mention this adjustment.) Overall, this is a valuable addition to a violist's CD collection."