J.S. Bach: Six Suites for Solo Cello
The Six Suites for Solo Cello by J S Bach composed around 1720, are generally regarded as the first and greatest masterpieces ever written for the instrument.
Their scope is vast and ingenious. Although most of the time, only one note is played, occasional chords and masterful melodies imply harmony and counterpoint.
The Suites have been performed and recorded countless times over the last 100 years, with a variety of interpretative approaches. These approaches, until recently, could often be rather academic and formal, as it used to be thought that baroque music was mostly about form. The present cellist takes a radically opposing approach, one which is inspirational and which infuses the works with vitality and spirit.
Marina Tarasova is a world-renowned cellist with many recordings to her name for Musical Concepts and Northern Flowers among other labels, and this is her first recording for Divine Art. She has won international competitions in Prague, Florence and Paris and has a wide repertoire covering works of composers from the 17th century to the 20th century.
Track Listing
- Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - I. Prelude (1:33)
- Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - II. Allemande (2:51)
- Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - III. Courante (2:22)
- Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - IV. Sarabande (2:36)
- Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - V. Menuets 1 and 2 (3:57)
- Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - VI. Gigue (1:24)
- Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - I. Prelude (3:29)
- Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - II. Allemande (2:50)
- Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - III. Courante (1:48)
- Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - IV. Sarabande (5:20)
- Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - V. Menuets 1 and 2 (3:53)
- Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - VI. Gigue (2:37)
- Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 - I. Prelude (5:55)
- Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 - II. Allemande (9:12)
- Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 - III. Courante (4:14)
- Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 - IV. Sarabande (5:10)
- Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 - V. Gavottes 1 and 2 (5:38)
- Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 - VI. Gigue (4:26)
- Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - I. Prelude (3:07)
- Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - II. Allemande (3:16)
- Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - III. Courante (3:00)
- Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - IV. Sarabande (4:08)
- Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - V. Bourrées 1 and 2 (4:49(
- Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - VI. Gigue (2:52)
- Suite No 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 - I. Prelude (4:26)
- Suite No 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 - II. Allemande (3:30)
- Suite No 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 - III. Courante (3:48)
- Suite No 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 - IV. Sarabande (4:37)
- Suite No 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 - V. Bourrées 1 and 2 (5:47)
- Suite No 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 - VI. Gigue (2:42)
- Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 - I. Prelude (6:27)
- Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 - II. Allemande (5:26)
- Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 - III. Courante (3:01)
- Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 - IV. Sarabande (2:48)
- Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 - V. Gavottes 1 and 2 (6:11)
- Suite no. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011 - VI. Gigue (2:24)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750):
Six Suites for Solo Cello, BWV 1007-1012
Reviews
“The Six Suites for Solo Cello by Bach are generally regarded as the first and greatest masterpieces ever written for the instrument and here, they’re played magnificently. Tarasova plays highly technical sections with aplomb. We like the album a lot, and it ranges in tone from the timeless gravitas that only the cello can provide to lighter sections, and from the dramatic to the more playful.
” —Jeremy Condliffe
“A brilliant young musician who gives us her unique interpretation of Bach’s challenging cello suites. She has a magnificent technique. One forgets about the technical difficulty of this music and is allowed just to sit back and listen to the splendour of her playing. This is an outstanding release.
” —Gregor Tassie
“This sound world can certainly be addictive. Not a recording for the faint-hearted… Marina Tarasova’s performance is gritty, windswept and growlingly confident. These are performances that demand your attention.
” —Andrew Farach-Colton
“The first and greatest masterpieces ever written for the instrument. Technically demanding and exhilarating: the cellist on these recordings, Marina Tarasova, takes a radically different approach, one which is inspirational and which infuses the works with vitality and spirit.
” —John Pitt
“Marina Tarasova is an absolutely first-rate cellist, sensitive to the dance forms underlying these remarkable compositions but equally aware of the extent to which Bach built upon and enlarged those forms rather than simply following them slavishly. It is clear from the very beginning that this will be a very personal interpretation… convincing on its own terms… emotionally satisfying in a way that more-straitlaced performances are not. Tarasova allows both the notes and their foundational heartfelt communication to flow with considerable beauty and an impressive level of technical precision.
” —Mark J. Estren
