Customer Reviews

J. S. Bach: Suites for Cello, 4, 5 & 6; Pablo Casals Volume 2

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Bought it for my mom, who is a big Casals fan. The Bach suites was one that she was hoping to find to replace her record copy. I am glad that they have it on CD, and as far as I know, there are no complaints.

I've heard the Cello Suites in the movie "Master and Commander" and in tacky ads for bathroom renovations. But reading "The Cello Suites" by Eric Siblin and listening to Pablo Casals playing these Bach suites has opened a whole new musical world for me and a greater appreciation for the soulful strains of the cello. As Siblin describes it: "The amazing thing about the cello is its deep resonance, how the tones fill your entire body as if it were a sound box of flesh and bone. Every note is a bold statement."

It is basically thanks to Pablo Casals that the world first became acquainted with the six Sonatas and Partitas for solo cello. Cellists knew about them, but regarded them as dry exercises, not suitable for public performance. Casals changed all that, and now these pieces are staples of the core repertoire of cello music. These early recordings were re-released on LP some years ago and now on CD. Casals' performances are highly charged emotionally, and bring out the implicit counterpoint of the music clearly. Several more recent cellists play this music dryly, as technical displays, and while some of these are excellent recordings, they lack the passion and musicality of these old Casals recordings. Highly recommended.