Bach Cello Suites

[PaulSC]

Dragging myself off to bed now, but not before I ask if any recordings exist of the Suites with Schumann's piano accompaniments. I've yet to spot any. Just curious...

[prémont]

Here is a list of 108 recordings of the Bach Cello Suites, Bach Cello Suites

Thanks for this useful list of which I own 59 recordings, but even many others which were not included in the list. Still the list contains a number of recordings I never have heard (of).

[Brian]

Here is a list of 108 recordings of the Bach Cello Suites, with an indication of which ones can be auditioned in full at NML or previewed in excerpts at iTunes or Amazon USA. (Items in the NML are normally previewable at classicsonline.)

Bach Cello Suites

The notes column includes sporadic subjective assessments that may be of no interest to anyone but me. (I suppose the same could be said of the rest of the document!) At any rate these notes are too selective/sparse to be taken as value judgments across the field -- I have a slightly amorphous top-20, but you'd never be able to deduce it from this document...

Care to explain this?
"George Neikrug - Garyn - 2008 - full on!!!"

[SonicMan46]

Here is a list of 108 recordings of the Bach Cello Suites, with an indication of which ones can be auditioned in full at NML or previewed in excerpts at iTunes or Amazon USA. (Items in the NML are normally previewable at classicsonline.)

Bach Cello Suites .....................

Thanks Paul for this effort - I'm sure w/ Premont's additions, the list will grow!  Now I own some transcriptions of the Goldberg Variations (guitar & harp), but not the suites - curious from those who actually have heard and/or own some transcriptions, which ones (and on which instruments) might be worth exploring?   

[jlaurson]

Thanks Paul for this effort - I'm sure w/ Premont's additions, the list will grow!  Now I own some transcriptions of the Goldberg Variations (guitar & harp), but not the suites - curious from those who actually have heard and/or own some transcriptions, which ones (on on which instruments) might be worth exploring?   

I think Paul was looking for a 'realization' along the lines of the Schumann 'realization' of the Sonatas & Partitas. I know neither if such a re-touching exists, and if it does, I know of no recording.

As far as transcriptions are concerned: I have the Suites on harp and marimba; the harp version is awful and the marimba version mildly interesting.

[Leon]

Here is a list of 108 recordings of the Bach Cello Suites, with an indication of which ones can be auditioned in full at NML or previewed in excerpts at iTunes or Amazon USA. (Items in the NML are normally previewable at classicsonline.)

Bach Cello Suites

Thanks!

[PaulSC]

Care to explain this?
"George Neikrug - Garyn - 2008 - full on!!!"

Ah yes, the Neikrug recording. Well, he plays with very heavy bow pressure and takes the most aggressive interpretative approach I've ever heard to this music. Not a performance I particularly enjoy, but see for yourself -- http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/j-s-bach-six-cello-suites/id281873830

I think Paul was looking for a 'realization' along the lines of the Schumann 'realization' of the Sonatas & Partitas. I know neither if such a re-touching exists, and if it does, I know of no recording.

As far as transcriptions are concerned: I have the Suites on harp and marimba; the harp version is awful and the marimba version mildly interesting.

Yes, that's what I had in mind. Like Jens, I'm unsure if they exist -- they're mentioned in the Wikipedia entry on the cello suites, but one shouldn't rely on Wikipedia in general without confirmation from another source...

[PaulSC]

Thanks for this useful list of which I own 59 recordings, but even many others which were not included in the list. Still the list contains a number of recordings I never have heard (of).

I would love to see that list, Premont! I tried to focus on recordings that could easily be auditioned in part or full online. As for what I own, only 9 full sets (and scattered individual suites). But that number's bound to increase -- is there any other repertoire that more rewards comparative listening?

[prémont]

I would love to see that list, Premont! I tried to focus on recordings that could easily be auditioned in part or full online. As for what I own, only 9 full sets (and scattered individual suites). But that number's bound to increase -- is there any other repertoire that more rewards comparative listening?

Recordings I know /own in casual order, which are not included on the list you posted above (only complete sets):


Pierre Fournier (Accord) recorded for Swiss radio 1959

André Navarra (Calliope)

Antonio Janigro (MCA)

Tatjana Vassiljeva (Mirare)

Janos Starker´s second recording (EMI)

Götz Teutsch (IPPNW-concerts)

Kirstin Feltz (RAM)

Wieland Kuijken (Arcana - including gamba/harpsichord sonatas)

Roel Dieltiens´ second recording (EtCetera)

Hidemi Suzuki´s first recording (DHM)

Hidemi Suzuki´s second recording (DHM)

Martin Rummel (Paladino Music)

Matthias Michael Beckmann (seems to be his own label MMB - using five-stringed cello throughout)

Rainer Zipperling (Flora)

Henri Demarquette (Collection Etoiles)

Ryo Terakado (Denon) on violoncello da spalla

A collective set made by Berliner Philharmonic soloists, live (IPPNW-concerts)
Georg Faust, Ludwig Quandt, Martin Löhr and Olaf Maninger.


And four more on their way to me
Mario Brunello (Egea), Iagoba Fanlo (Arsis), Balazs Maté (Hungaroton) and Gerda Angermann (Ganser). The three first are missing on your list.


The recording on your list by Sara Sant´ Ambrogio (the cellist of the Erotica-trio, as Sarge certainly knows) includes only the suites 1, 3 and 5.


As a general rule I am rarely making comparative listening any more. Instead I try to concentrate upon the music and the world of the interpretation I listen to. I find that comparative listening (recalling in between other interpretations than the one I listen to) actually tends to detract from the musical experience.

[Brian]

Dragging myself off to bed now, but not before I ask if any recordings exist of the Suites with Schumann's piano accompaniments. I've yet to spot any. Just curious...

Bach/Schumann Suite No 3 is on Hanssler Classics with Peter Bruns and a pianist whose name I've forgotten.

[prémont]

Bach/Schumann Suite No 3 is on Hanssler Classics with Peter Bruns and a pianist whose name I've forgotten.

Roglit Ishay, how could you forget her?

[PaulSC]

Bach/Schumann Suite No 3 is on Hanssler Classics with Peter Bruns and a pianist whose name I've forgotten.

Thank you Brian! So they do exist! And Bruns is a cellist I like.

Roglit Ishay, how could you forget her?

Thanks Premont, that name will help me to search.

[PaulSC]

Found it -- also on NML.

[Mandryka]

A couple of questions which some of the people here may be able to answer.

Perenyi takes the Allemandes and  Courantes at a similar tempo -- after the preludes you have a faily long period of moderately fast music before the Sarabande. How authentic is that?

One striking thing about Kniazev is the way he uses dynamic variation to contour the music. Same question -- how authentic is that?

[prémont]

Perenyi takes the Allemandes and  Courantes at a similar tempo -- after the preludes you have a fairly long period of moderately fast music before the Sarabande. How authentic is that?

The allemande was relative slow, while the courante was faster. So the standard Froberger suite sequence (allemande, courante,sarabande,gigue) meant slow, fast, slow,fast.

l
One striking thing about Kniazev is the way he uses dynamic variation to contour the music. Same question -- how authentic is that?

Probably not very authentic if it is overdone. BTW I  do not have the Kniazev that present as to say if I think it is overdone, but I do not remember that I thought so when I listened to his Bach suites maybe a year ago.  But you have to distiniguish keyboard music from cello music. On a cello some dynamic variation is possible (and was possible in Bach´s time), which is not posible on an organ or a harpsichord.

I think the word "authentic" should be avoided. It is often misinterpreted.

[SonicMan46]

Great, some new activity here! 

Well, will add another new-old option, i.e. Pablo Casals from the 1930s - redone on the Pristine label by Andrew Rose; now I own about a half dozen sets of these works (several on the shoulder cello), and use to have Casals on LP years ago, but was reluctant to purchase any CD transfers because of the sound reprocessing comments (just did not feel that I'd be happy w/ the results).

This newest attempt is suppose to be the BEST ever - check out the Pristine Website for pricing (many download & CD-R choices but rather pricey!) and comments from Rose; also a short recent Fanfare review is attached.

Now, I've not made a purchase yet - even the MP3 download price is a little steep, and the actual discs w/ notes (along w/ shipping to me across the pond) would be expensive - I'll await some comments from our illustrious Bach experts! 

[Antoine Marchand]

... now I own about a half dozen sets of these works (several on the shoulder cello)...

Several played on cello da spalla, Dave?

[jlaurson]

This newest attempt is suppose to be the BEST ever - check out the Pristine Website for pricing (many download & CD-R choices but rather pricey!) and comments from Rose; also a short recent Fanfare review is attached.

I would take any Fanfare review of Pristine recordings with more than a grain of salt. Just sayin'...

[SonicMan46]

Several played on cello da spalla, Dave?

Hi Antoine - yes, we've had some discussion of that instrument in the 'Old Musical Instruments' thread HERE - own the two recordings w/ Sigiswald Kuijken & Dmitry Badiarov - plenty of discussion in that thread for those interested in the 'shoulder cello' -

I would take any Fanfare review of Pristine recordings with more than a grain of salt. Just sayin'...

Jens - I take that as a cautionary suggestion, and not a recommendation?  But I'll be curious to hear the thoughts of those who might hear this 'new' recording vs. some of the older ones out there of Casals?  Dave

[Mandryka]

I don't know the Pristine transfer (of Casals studio suites) but I do know the EMI and  the transfer on Opera Kura. The Opera Kura  showed how poor a transfer the EMI is, and I would urge anyone who just has the EMI to explore alternatives  -- I've appreciated Casals  more since I dumped the EMI.

I think Casals is very good at articulating long and complicated fugues. And I think at the level of affect he's wonderful in all the preludes and Sarabandes in fact. Probably he's my first choice in this music. Maybe someone here can recommend better -- a cellist who can be both noble and lively, a cellist who can intelligently present the more complicated movements.

There are, by the way, some Casals live performances  well worth catching -- in some ways as interesting than his studio. A 3rd from Prades, for example.