Search - Johann Sebastian Bach :: Bach: The Cello Suites

Jian Wang does it again

T. Mayhew | Indiana | 10/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Another classic Jian Wang recording. I'm a cellist, have heard and played this music for ~6 years, and listened to some or all of most of the major recordings of the Suites. I first heard Bach when I came across a recording of Lynn Harrell playing the G maj prelude. Aside from Pieter Wispelwey's second recording and Harrell's prelude, I've never been too impressed by the major renditions...Starker, Rostropovich who is so excellent on the big pieces, Maisky, Ma, too garbled. Jian Wang plays a little slowly, with a distinct amount of rubato (pausing or lengthening of a note), and a lot of dynamic contrast. I don't think any of these things detracts from the music, except that he plays the courantes (from the French: to run) somewhat slowly. Also the sound quality and timbre is excellent - it is fairly self evident, even from a cursory iTunes browse. His version is the cleanest, simplest, and most sincere I've ever heard. Not as fast as Wispelwey, but perhaps more patient and open."

Bringing the dance to life!

Earthling | Earth | 03/11/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, I personally think that Bach's Cello Suites are the most beautiful music ever composed. That Bach was able to pour such stirring music into a single four-stringed instrument never ceases to amaze me (the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin are also spellbinding-- I suggest John Holloway's recording on ECM: Bach: The Sonatas & Partitas for Violin Solo /Holloway).



I've owned and/or heard a variety of recordings (Starker's latest recording, both of Ma's recordings, Casals and others). I think in Jian Wang's I have found as close as possible an ideal recording of the Cello Suites.



The recording quality, as usual for DG, is impeccable-- warm and intimate. There's a degree of reverb in the background, but it remains just that: background. Wang's cello is miked up close rather than from a great distance.



The performance itself is the main thing though: Jian Wang sings and dances-- the variety of moods and characters of the suites really comes through without being merely "theatrical." Wang plays with a degree of graceful restraint (which is not to be mistaken for a lack of passion) and I like it that he plays with very minimal vibrato, making for a more lean and transparent sound. His intonation is amazingly perfect (as another reviewer here points out) and the double-stopping is the sweetest I've ever heard in any string player.



Something new and refreshing to me is that Wang actually presents the character of the dance rhythms, something I have found lacking in many other recordings. The preludes of the suites he often will add bits of rubato, but this is minimal, and in all the right places I feel. It is wonderful to actually hear the accents on certain beats that make the character of the dance rhythms felt-- it infuses real life into the pieces. Bach did, after all, model these pieces on the prevailing dance rhythms of the day-- if the Orchestral Suites are performed with this in mind, why not in the Cello Suites as well?



I have no idea why DG has discontinued the CD. There are (currently) only five samples available on Amazon's page for the CD, however, you can hear samples of all the tracks on the MP3 album page: Bach: The Cello Suites (or see the link at the top of the page to go to the MP3 album). Make sure to check out the samples!



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People should know about what they speak

Bill Keevers | Sacramento, CA USA | 07/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have perfect pitch, so it's a requirement for me that the performer have it - this one does. The contemporary Bach Cello Suites of 'a certain very well known, other performer' reputed to be among the world's greatest, are in reality breathtakingly pathetic. In contrast, I was completely astonished at this performance, which equals & exceeds those of such past masters as Janos Starker. I couldn't believe that such subtleties were capable of being evoked on an instrument prone to rough sounds, such light glances & touches in the attack. And the intonation, absolutely flawless! Overall, it was like falling in love with your mother's face, in sound. I don't recommend this for everyone, but I can unhesitatingly do so for anyone cursed with perfect pitch."