Hopkinson Smith - Bach: Suites (Arr. for Lute) '2021

Tracks list

Tracklist

CD1
01. 6 Cello Suites, No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prelude
02. 6 Cello Suites, No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: II. Allemande
03. 6 Cello Suites, No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: III. Courante
04. 6 Cello Suites, No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: IV. Sarabande
05. 6 Cello Suites, No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: V. Menuets I & II
06. 6 Cello Suites, No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: VI. Gigue
07. 6 Cello Suites, No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: I. Prelude
08. 6 Cello Suites, No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: II. Allemande
09. 6 Cello Suites, No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: III. Courante
10. 6 Cello Suites, No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: IV. Sarabande
11. 6 Cello Suites, No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: V. Menuets I & II
12. 6 Cello Suites, No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: VI. Gigue
13. 6 Cello Suites, No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: I. Prelude
14. 6 Cello Suites, No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: II. Allemande
15. 6 Cello Suites, No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: III. Courante
16. 6 Cello Suites, No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: IV. Sarabande
17. 6 Cello Suites, No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: V. Bourrées I & II
18. 6 Cello Suites, No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: VI. Gigue

CD2
01. 6 Cello Suites, No. 4 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1010: I. Prelude
02. 6 Cello Suites, No. 4 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1010: II. Allemande
03. 6 Cello Suites, No. 4 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1010: III. Courante
04. 6 Cello Suites, No. 4 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1010: IV. Sarabande
05. 6 Cello Suites, No. 4 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1010: V. Bourée
06. 6 Cello Suites, No. 4 in B-Flat Major, BWV 1010: VI. Gigue
07. 6 Cello Suites, No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: I. Prelude
08. 6 Cello Suites, No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: II. Allemande
09. 6 Cello Suites, No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: III. Courante
10. 6 Cello Suites, No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: IV. Sarabande
11. 6 Cello Suites, No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: V. Gavottes I & II
12. 6 Cello Suites, No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: VI. Gigue
13. 6 Cello Suites, No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: I. Prelude
14. 6 Cello Suites, No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: II. Allemande
15. 6 Cello Suites, No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: III. Courante
16. 6 Cello Suites, No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: IV. Sarabande
17. 6 Cello Suites, No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: V. Gavottes I & II
18. 6 Cello Suites, No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: VI. Gigue


The complete Suites for Solo Cello by Bach, in the hands of lutenist/theorbo
player Hopkinson Smith. This double album does restorative justice to a complete
edition that up to now was split into two albums, appearing separately between
1981 (Astrée) and 2013 (Naive classique). It provides an opportunity to fully
appreciate the art of Hopkinson Smith, this master of Renaissance and Baroque
plucked string instruments, a performer and pedagogue who is honoured and
respected by generations of early music practitioners. It also offers the chance
of surveying in full Bach’s six Suites for Solo Cello (BWV 1007-1012) in
the new, colourful light of their arrangement for lute and theorbo.

Being on intimate terms with Bach’s music, having studied it for several
decades, Hopkinson Smith is the perfect mediator of these dance movements, by
turns virtuoso and contemplative, constantly highlighting the polyphonic
possibilities of the solo cello, somehow intensified by the stirring sound of
the plucked strings, while also bringing out the music’s energetic
expressiveness and lyricism. It all emerges so naturally under his masterly
hands, which have also crafted five of the six transcriptions – the Suite
BWV 1011 arrangement being by Bach’s own work.

‘From the very first notes, one is struck by the sheer completeness of the
performance’, wrote Classica in March 2013, awarding a Choc distinction
to the first three Suites. The choice of keys, the ornamentation, the addition
of the bass voices, the rhythmic flexibility, and the way the tempi are adapted
to suit the resonance of the instrument: it has all been carefully throught
through so as to reach the heart of Bach’s music. This tour de force has
made these six works into benchmark recordings without equal, now integrated in
this re-issue.

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