tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887440039323868659.post5415177515937073834..comments2024-03-28T07:55:50.510-07:00Comments on RAWIllumination.net: Michael Johnson on BachCleveland Okie (Tom Jackson)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07810736442596736041noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5887440039323868659.post-86012452097345554542013-07-18T08:40:13.313-07:002013-07-18T08:40:13.313-07:00I would unreservedly recommend The Cello Suites as...I would unreservedly recommend <i>The Cello Suites</i> as well! I read it a couple of years ago when I started making my own arrangements of the Bach suites for baritone saxophone, and it does present a good case for why these little pieces of music are so well-loved.<br /><br />Siblin's counterpoint between the scholarship on the suites themselves, and the life of Casals as he championed the works as performance pieces is an effective narrative device. The book trips along almost like a detective story rather than a dusty academic study.<br /><br />I appreciated learning more about Casals' life, since it is rare to hear about the role that specific performers play in bringing masterpieces to the public, and we often only know about the composer. That said, I generally find Casals' interpretation too "romantic", and my current favourite performer of the suites is Angela East, from the British ensemble Red Priest.CrypticMusichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03997516833955579050noreply@blogger.com