06 November 2012

The Cello Suites by Eric Siblin

  • Have listened to Yo-Yo Ma's album "Bach : 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites" for almost 20 years without knowing there was so much fascinating background behind the music.
  • Book organised into 3 threads : 1. J.S.Bach's life and interesting stories behind the 6 Cello Suites (original manuscript lost, Anna Magadelena's copy, mystery of 6th suite written for 5-strings, etc).  2. Pablo Casals who, in 1890, discovered the Grutzmacher edition in a shop in Barcelona and spent 12 years practicing the suites before he mustered the courage to perform them in public. 3. The author's personal journey in researching the suites (His description of his struggle in learning to play the Prelude in the 1st Suite on the guitar sounds all too familiar).
  • This book is written by someone who is barely able to read music, which guarantees its accessibility to the layman who just wants to be informed and be entertained. To me, it is simply delightful. (Google Books preview here).
  • My rating : 5/5

1 comment:

Taichiseal said...

Listen to Yo-Yo Ma play the entire 6 Cello Suites here :=

http://youtu.be/KHzfD6XLK7Q