Bach Cello Suite No 1 in G Major
Soul Music
BBC
4.7 • 831 Ratings
🗓️ 21 April 2015
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Johann Sebastian Bach's Cello Suite No I in G major is one of the most frequently performed and recognisable solo compositions ever written for cello.
Yet it was virtually unknown for almost 200 years until the Catalan cellist, Pablo Casals discovered an edition in a thrift shop in Barcelona. Casals became the first to record it and the suites are now cherished by musicians across the globe.
The world renowned cellist, Steven Isserlis describes his relationship with the piece and why it still surprises and excites him.
Fellow cellists Richard Jenkinson and Jane Salmon talk about the challenge of playing it and we hear from the Dominic Martens, a member of the National Youth Orchestra and his teacher, Nick Jones as they explore the piece together.
Garden designer Julie Moir Messervy, describes how Yo-Yo Ma's recording inspired her to design The Toronto Music Garden and doctor Heidi Kimberly explains why she chose the piece for her wedding and why she believes the suite to have healing powers.
While historian and author, Eric Siblin, reveals the extraordinary history of the suites and why some still argue that they was written by Bach's second wife Anna Magdalena.
Series about pieces of music with a powerful emotional impact.
Producer: Lucy Lunt
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2015.
Transcript
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| 0:38.8 | Can you just play the first eight bars? |
| 0:53.4 | I suppose the prelude of the first Bach suite is, it's a very recognisable piece. |
| 1:00.4 | It's a piece that every young cellist starts to play, but every old cellist like me |
| 1:05.2 | continues playing, continues discovering things about, and continues to be moved by |
| 1:11.9 | because this prelude just sticks in your mind. |
| 1:15.3 | There's a certain magic to it that just never wears off. |
| 1:25.7 | And I feel so strong this sense of birth in this period of new life, of joy, it's gentle, this music, it's loving, and the way Bach just builds up the resonance of the cello is wonderful, and just uses the open strings in such a ringing way. |
| 1:50.6 | My name is Stephen Isselis |
| 1:52.3 | and I'm a cellist. |
| 1:55.2 | And like every cellist, |
| 1:57.0 | I love and adore the Bach Suites. |
| 2:09.5 | Music I love and adore the Bach Suites. Not the first piece ever written for solo cello, |
... |
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