Readings Staff Recommend - Building a Classical Library

A double album from Naxos Historical, featuring the legendary cellist Pablo Casals (1876-1973). He developed a highly personal florid style of playing, dismissed by some as being overly romantic, but he performed and recorded extensively, raising the status of the instrument, inspiring countless musicians, and entertaining audiences worldwide. It was Casal's championing of the Solo Cello Suites by JS Bach that brought the works to the attention of the masses, and in this excellent release, they are paired with transcriptions of popular works by Polain and Silotti.

Disc 1

Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Menuet I and II
6. Gigue

Recorded: 2 June 1938

Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Menuet I and II
6. Gigue

Recorded: 23 November 1936

Cello Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Bourree I and II
6. Gigue

Recorded: 23 November 1936

Cello Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Bourree I and II
6. Gigue

Recorded: 13 June 1939

Disc 2

Cello Suite No. 5 in C minor, BWV 1011

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Gavotte I and II
6. Gigue

Recorded: 13 June 1939

Cello Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012

1. Prelude
2. Allemande
3. Courante
4. Sarabande
5. Gavotte I and II
6. Gigue

Recorded: 3 June 1938

Adagio from Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in A minor, BWV 564 (arr. Siloti)

1. Adagio from Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in A minor, BWV 564

Musette (Gavottes I and II) from English Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 811 (arr. Pollain)

1. Musette (Gavottes I and II) from English Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 811

Komm, Susser Tod, BWV 478 (arr. Silotti)

1. Komm, Susser Tod, BWV 478

Andante from Sonata No. 2 for unaccompanied violin, BWV 1003 (arr. Siloti)

1. Andante from Sonata No. 2 for unaccompanied violin, BWV 1003

Air from Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 (arr. Siloti)

1. Air from Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068

Pablo Casals, cello

Ward Marston, archivist and restoration producer