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Avie Records

Bach: 6 Cello Suites / Phoebe Carrai

$29.99

Details

Composer
BACH, J.S.
Artist
Phoebe Carrai
Format
CD
Label
Avie Records
Released
Sep 01, 2003
Catalog #
AV0021
UPC
822252002126

About

Cellist Phoebe Carrai performed with period-instrument ensemble Musica Antiqua Köln from 1983 to 1993, arguably the group's eclectic heyday. Carrai's spirit of adventure apparently hasn't waned in the meantime, given her curious and often unique interpretations of these familiar Bach suites. Her rendering of the opening Prelude of the First suite is inordinately broad and spacious, her subtle easing into the first note of each phrase giving the entire movement an inevitable flow and continuity. The fourth-movement Sarabande receives a similar slow, probing treatment akin to that of Jaap ter Linden (Harmonia Mundi). In contrast, Carrai's rendering of the Second suite's Courante is swift and expertly articulated, rivaling the speed and accuracy of Wispelwey (Channel) and Dieltiens (Accent) as well as modern-instrument virtuosos Navarra (Calliope) and Starker (Mercury).


At times Carrai's unconventional stylistic differences have a tendency to border on mannerism. For example, in the final Gigue of the Second suite, where Carrai's weighty, disproportionate emphasis on certain individual lines imbues the movement with an unusual lugubrious elegance, her forebearance also undermines the dance. Further, Carrai's occasional stresses on the introductory notes of the Fourth-suite Prelude simply sound bizarre. Likewise Carrai's uncharacteristically dreamy, evenly tempered renderings of the Sixth suite's two Gavottes (fast duple-meter folk dances) are among the slowest ever. Compared to my period-instrument reference performance by Anner Bylsma (Sony SEON), who sensibly completes this same movement in less than three minutes, Carrai's 4:37 is a bit of a stretch.


Avie's richly resonant sound complements Carrai's full-bodied performances. John Lutterman's informed notes are a joy to read. While not recommendable as a first choice among the many recordings of Bach's Suites, Carrai's highly personal and yes, distinguished performances nonetheless offer a genuine point of view--which is more than can be said for many less imaginative accounts that currently clutter the catalog.
--John Greene, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 36 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Prelude 02:49
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  3. 2 II. Allemande 05:03
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    05:03
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  4. 3 III. Courante 02:33
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  5. 4 IV. Sarabande 02:16
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    02:16
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  6. 5 V. Menuet I - II 03:25
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Menuet I - II
    Duration
    03:25
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  7. 6 VI. Gigue 01:47
    Track
    6
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  8. 7 I. Prelude 03:31
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    03:31
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  9. 8 II. Allemande 04:10
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    04:10
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  10. 9 III. Courante 01:59
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  11. 10 IV. Sarabande 03:49
    Track
    10
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    03:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  12. 11 V. Menuet I - II 03:09
    Track
    11
    Title
    V. Menuet I - II
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  13. 12 VI. Gigue 02:46
    Track
    12
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  14. 13 I. Prelude 03:43
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    03:43
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  15. 14 II. Allemande 04:10
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    04:10
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  16. 15 III. Courante 03:23
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  17. 16 IV. Sarabande 03:09
    Track
    16
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    03:09
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  18. 17 V. Bourree I - II 03:27
    Track
    17
    Title
    V. Bourree I - II
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  19. 18 VI. Gigue 03:16
    Track
    18
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  20. Disc 2
  21. 1 I. Prelude 04:02
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  22. 2 II. Allemande 04:47
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  23. 3 III. Courante 03:32
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    03:32
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  24. 4 IV. Sarabande 03:52
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  25. 5 V. Bourree I - II 05:47
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Bourree I - II
    Duration
    05:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  26. 6 VI. Gigue 03:26
    Track
    6
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  27. 7 I. Prelude 05:49
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    05:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  28. 8 II. Allemande 05:05
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    05:05
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  29. 9 III. Courante 02:27
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    02:27
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  30. 10 IV. Sarabande 03:47
    Track
    10
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    03:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  31. 11 V. Gavotte I - II 05:06
    Track
    11
    Title
    V. Gavotte I - II
    Duration
    05:06
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  32. 12 VI. Gigue 02:14
    Track
    12
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  33. 13 I. Prelude 05:14
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    05:14
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  34. 14 II. Allemande 07:02
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    07:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  35. 15 III. Courante 03:40
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    03:40
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  36. 16 IV. Sarabande 04:37
    Track
    16
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    04:37
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  37. 17 V. Gavotte I - II 04:37
    Track
    17
    Title
    V. Gavotte I - II
    Duration
    04:37
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  38. 18 VI. Gigue 04:43
    Track
    18
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    04:43
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach