Bach: The Cello Suites: (New Cambridge Music Handbooks)

Originally dismissed as curiosities, J. S. Bach's Cello Suites are now understood as the pinnacle of composition for unaccompanied cello. This handbook examines how and why Bach composed these highly innovative works. It explains the characteristics of each of the dance types used in the suites and reveals the compositional methods that achieve cohesion within each suite. The author discusses the four manuscript copies of Bach's lost original and the valuable evidence they contain on how the Suites might be performed. He explores how, after around 1860, the Cello Suites gradually entered the concert hall, where they initially received a mixed critical and audience reception. The Catalan cellist Pablo Casals extensively popularized them through his concerts and recordings, setting the paradigm for several generations to follow. The Cello Suites now have a global resonance, influencing music from Benjamin Britten's Cello Suites to J-pop, and media from K-drama to Ingmar Bergman's films.

Table of Contents:
List of figures; List of examples; List of tables; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Contexts: Cöthen, French style, 'opus' collections and the cello; 2. Dance types, preludes and analytical perspectives; 3. The four manuscript copies; 4. Transmission, performance and reception, 1720–c. 1900; 5. Pablo Casals and the Cello Suites in the cultural imagination; Bibliography; Index.

Review :
'An excellent book! Full of interesting information, concisely and readably presented. A fine guide to the six miracles known as the Bach Cello Suites.' Steven Isserlis, Cellist and Author 'This book is essential reading for anyone interested in the Bach Cello Suites. The scholarship is up-to-date, conclusions are always interesting, myths are dispelled, and the writing is always clear.' George Kennaway, Author, Playing the Cello, 1780–1930 'An engrossing exploration of the myriad ways to play, study, and think about the cello suites. Klorman's thoughtful research makes the music feel more alive than ever. It changed my understanding of the suites and made me eager to practice them again. This book will be a tremendous resource for anyone looking to enrich their perspective on Bach.' Zlatomir Fung, The Juilliard School. First Prize Winner, 2019 International Tchaikovsky Competition 'A well-written and important guide. This book is essential for any music lover who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of Bach's Cello Suites.' Keiran Campbell, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra 'A thoroughly researched and eloquent guide to the mysteries behind Bach's cello suites.' Lucia Swarts, Royale Conservatoire of The Hague and Netherlands Bach Society 'This book, a remarkable model of intelligible musical scholarship, discusses expertly and concisely the stylistic placement and context of Bach's Cello Suites, the kind(s) of instrument called for, and the musical design of the various movement types in the suite cycle. It offers up-to-date information on the complex configuration of the manuscript sources and early prints and illuminates the extended performance tradition of the pieces, initially understood as instrumental etudes and only much later-spearheaded by Pablo Casals-as superb concert repertoire.' Christoph Wolff, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University