155 Days With Bach and Me

There’s a world of difference between these Cello Suites and the previous two CDs of Violin solos. Although both are stringed instruments, for some weird reason my ears can take — even completely enjoy — listening to the cello play for an hour or two…whereas the solo violin left me cold after the first half hour or so.

Go figure.

Maybe it helps that the first composition (“Suite No. 1 in G major,” BWV 1007) is a famous piece of music I’ve heard often as part of a movie soundtrack, usually during times of transition or to indicate a particularly introspective moment in a character’s life.

For no particular reason, I like looking at the sheet music for Classical compositions. I can’t read music, although I know generally what’s going on. I just like to see lots of black dotes on a page and know that somebody can play them. Makes me smile. So, from the Wiki entry about Bach’s Cello Suites, I borrowed this image:

The Wiki entry is superb, by the way. If you want to know the who, what, why, and where of Bach’s Cello Suites, that’s a good place to start.

The three compositions on today’s CD were performed by Jaap Ter Linden, the famous Dutch cellist, conductor, viol player. They’re quite remarkable performances, too.

Because I enjoy seeing Classical pieces performed on modern-day instruments, here’s Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1 in G major performed on the electric bass guitar by Martin Motnik.

Beautifully done. Fun to watch, too.

And, because I really do like seeing Classical music transcribed for other instruments, here’s the incomparable Andrés Segovia (1893-1987) playing the Prelude to Suite No. 1 in G major on Classical guitar:

If that doesn’t move you, check your pulse. It’s likely you don’t have one.

Anyway, back to today’s CD…

Of the three compositions here (Suite No. 1 in G major, Suite No. 3 in C major, and Suite No. 5 in C minor), I enjoyed No. 1 the most. Prelude was gorgeous. The Minuet I & II (movement 5) was sprightly and fun. The other two compositions were too ponderous for my tastes. They seemed lugubrious. They weren’t as enjoyable. But to each his own.

A word about the recording quality: Superb.

‘Nuff said.

Here are the compositions on today’s CD:
BWV 1007
BWV 1009
BWV 1011

Some scholars estimate these were composed pre 1720. But I don’t think anyone knows for sure. I’ve seen dates range up to 1725. If they were composed around 1720, Bach was 35. Or so. If the date was closer to 1724, Bach was 40.