J.S. Bach Specialist in Historically Informed Performance Practices for Cello

Bach Solo Cello Suites Project

The project focused on The Six Suites for Solo Violoncello, BWV 1007-1012.  2017 to 2023 marks the 300th anniversary of these remarkable works, which are considered a tour de force for cellists to perform. Cellists treat these works as a milestone of artistic and technical achievement. However, there are many aspects of performing the suites that raise questions about 18th century performance practice, how to achieve an historically informed performance on a modern cello, and questions about what is, or is not, “authentic” for these suites since there is not a copy of the original in Bach’s own hand. The Lectures that accompanied each recital explored many of these questions and attempted to address some aspects about implied counterpoint for a single line instrument, motivic development, harmonic structure, ornamentation, and form of the suites.

Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G major

Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor

Bach: Suite No. 4 in E♭ major

Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C major

Bach: Suite No. 5 in C minor

Performances, Lectures, Recordings, & Master Classes of the Bach Cello Suites

  • The Brookwood Studio (Ann Arbor) recordings above of J.S. Bach’s Solo Cello Suites 1-6 were made possible through the generous support of PSC CUNY Grant Cycle 49, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York. Additional editing and mastering were done by David Milkis Productions NYC

  • Featured Soloist: Recital J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 6 in D major. Support provided by PSC CUNY Grant Cycle 49, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York. 21 November 2019

  • Featured Soloist: Recital J.S. Bach Suites 3 & 6. Support provided by PSC CUNY Grant Cycle 49, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York. 12 October 2019

  • Featured Soloist: Bach Solo Cello Suite No. 6, and Master Class. Support for this project was provided by a PSC-CUNY Award Cycle 49, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York. 11 October 2019

  • Featured Soloist, Lecturer, & Master Class. Solo Recital of Bach Solo Cello Suites 3 and 6 with Lecture “The Bach Cello Suites: What’s the Big Deal.” Support for this project was provided by a PSC-CUNY Award, Cycle 49, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York. 9 October 2019

1 PSC-CUNY Award (cycle 49): Grant in Support of The Bach Cello Suite Project

Grant Proposal: Bach Cello Suites Project. Grant amount received: $3500. Funds were used for professional studio recordings, and for travel, performance, guest lecturer expenses at Ball State University and Western Michigan University. Project completion: December 2019

2 Bach Solo Cello Suites Presented by Musica Trinitatis Concert Series
Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church, NYC. Fall 2017

Bach Solo Cello Suite No. 1 in G, Robert Reed cellist, September 2017. Holy Trinity Catholic Church NYC

Bach Solo Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, Robert Reed, cellist. Musica Trinitatis Concert Series at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church NYC. 12 September 2017

Recital I: Suites 1 & 2 — Lecture: Origins of the Bach Solo Cello Suites—Myths, Speculations and Realities
Lecture Title: “Origins of the Bach Solo Cello Suites—Myths, Speculations and Realities.” This lecture focused on the origins and early editions of the suites, myths and facts. It also addressed the reverential stature that the Cello Suites have as staples of the repertoire and how that has changed over the past 300 years. 12 September 2017

Recital II: Suites 3 & 4 — Lecture: Bach and the Dance & Bach’s relationship with the Violoncello
Lecture Title: “Bach and the Dance & Bach’s relationship with the Violoncello.” 19 September 2017

3. The Bach Six Solo Cello Suites Lecture/Recitals at BMCC
 Shirley Fiterman Art Center, Spring 2017

Recital I: Suites 1 & 2 —
Lecture 1: The Bach Cello Suites: What’s the Big Deal & Is This Really HIP?

This lecture introduces the suites and the numerous challenges that scholars face from a lack of direct historical information, the reverential stature that the Cello Suites have as staples of the repertoire, and an introduction into historically informed performance (HIP). Public performance of Suites 1 & 2. 28 February 2017

Recital II: Suites 3 & 4 —
Lecture 2: Bach and the Dance & Bach’s relationship with the Violoncello

28 March 2017

Recital III: Suites 5 & 6 —
Lecture 3: Bach Suites 5 & 6 - Baroque or Modern Cello? Four or Five Strings? Scordatura or Regular Tuning?

Lecture addresses some of the performance questions cellists face today with further discussions on historically informed performance (HIP), and on the extraordinary ability of Bach to create the illusions of counterpoint using a single-line, melodic instrument. 16 May 2017