The solo cello

How strange that I heard two performances of the Courante from Bach's Cello Suite no. 3 in C major on the same day. First was at the ANUSoM masterclass. The second was that evening when Anthony Albrecht played at St John's Anglican Church. Anthony was touring a solo performance called Bach to Bush as a return to Australia after studies at Julliard Music School in NYC. Enough said; this was a masterful performance. Anthony studied historical performance at Julliard, aware of the practices and instruments of the era, performing with gut and baroque bow. He said the bow's lighter, for niftier playing. He'd need it. I can think of Bach as ordered, even, but the suites are much freer than that; incredible explorations of harmony and purpose. Anthony played the third (C major), the second (A minor), the fourth (Eb major), the first (G major; prelude only) and an interesting interlude with Chaconne a basso solo by Giuseppe Colombi. The technical feat of the suites is there, of course, with rapid lines and double stops and exposed intonation. Watching his fingers, stretched for performance as they may be, is a massive pleasure for a string player. Watching the range and expression possible in a cello is a massive pleasure for a bass player. Cello is often cited as peoples' favourite stringed instrument. I can understand, with its expressiveness combined with depth and fragility. And Bach and the cello suites hold a special place in the repertoire, with great players known for their recordings. Wispelway played the suites in two concerts in Canberra a few years back. Anthony has studied privately with Wispelway so this is firm continuity. This was a performance of individuality and learned awareness. I sat back to marvel at the beauty, the skills, or closed my eyes to appreciate the genius of Bach's invention. It was only later that I thought of the concert in terms of orchestral or solo playing. An orchestra can be big in sound and varied in tone but written music and the conductor's baton can never capture the complexity of the individual response, so the solo is unique in its communication and Anthony did it proud. Anthony's off to London and further studies but he has family in Australia so he'll return every so often. For that be thankful and take advantage if and when he comes through Canberra again.

Anthony Albrecht (cello) performed several Bach cello suites at St John's.

What to say of perfection?

What is there to say about someone like Pieter Wispelway performing Bach cello suites? Just a single guy on stage flanked by a couple of reflective panels. He’s an international recording artist who’s known for these very works. The works themselves are profoundly satisfying. Wispelway must have played them a zillion times. They say he knows them so well that every time is a new interpretation. His skills are easy and immense. From the point of view of a bassist, I could admire his thumb positions and his firm fingers and purposeful and changing hand shape and his intonation and some rabidly quick playing and some nicely purposeful vibrato and his memory. I don’t do bow, but that seemed glorious, so the deep notes powered through and any note could be pure and resonant or biting and edgy. We are watching a master and they make it look easy. I was learning of the structure of these works. He played Bach Cello suites no.4,5,6 in Ebmaj, Cmin and Dmaj. He had earlier played no.1,2,3 at another concert. Each lasted about 30mins. Each was structured with a prelude followed by various dance movements: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Bouree 1 & 2 and Gigue. Suffice to say the tunes all become inevitable and the interpretation becomes like conversation when played by someone like this, and like conversation it changes. It’s not that his interpretation was without question. He played with time, played with virtuosity. I‘ll give it to him: I don't really know the works well enough to be distressed. But others didn’t come at his irreverence so easily. On stage, he was short and sweet. He appeared, played one suite, bowed, left the stage, returned, played another… finally bowed, left the stage, returned for an encore of the most famous prelude from No.1 in G major then bowed and left. So it was rather business-like as an entertainer/performer, but brazenly virtuosic as a musician. Great to see a master at work.

Pieter Wispelway (cello) performed the Bach Cello Suites no.4 in Eb major, no.5 in C minor and no.6 in D major at the Albert Hall for the Canberra international Music Festival.