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Diversions

Water Through Ice - J.S. Bach Suites for Alto Guitar

Baroque Spiritual Virtuosic Uplifting Dramatic
$25.99

Details

Composer
Johann Sebastian Bach
Artist
Vesa Lassila
Format
CD
Label
Diversions
Released
Jan 23, 2026
Catalog #
DDV24173
UPC
809730417320

About

Diversions is delighted to present the January 2026 release of Bach Lute Suites for Alto Guitar, from the Finnish guitarist Vesa Lassila. Even today, it's unclear whether Bach's Lute Suites were written for a lute-harpsichord, or even a harp. While the works have been recorded many times on the modern guitar, in Water Through Ice, guitarist Vesa Lassila presents his own arrangements for the the alto guitar. Lassila states, "With a little imagination, one can easily view the alto guitar as the modern instrument version of the baroque alto lute." The alto guitar on the recording features an instrument created by Finnish luthier Keijo Krelin in 2009, and provides a rich and powerful bass register alongside a light descant and clear voice, bridging the gap between modern sounds and historic authenticity. Water through Ice also includes arrangements for alto guitar of two Suites Bach originally composed for solo violin, but which were later transcribed or arranged by him for lute-harpsichord. "As a musician, the possibilities of the alto guitar opened a wider range of bass lines, meaning that unlike when performing Bach on the modern guitar," says Lassila, "one doesn't have to reduce the rich voice in the lower register but can instead employ the full two octaves as were written for the lute. The shorter scale of the fretboard allows for more open solutions in the fingerings and articulations in order to better bring out Bach's glorious counterpoint." These beautiful, intricate and technically demanding works continue to inspire musicians today because of their exceptional quality. Lassila traces Bach's well-planned musical narrations throughout the Suites to bring forth a poetic, musical journey, that "moves as water runs through ice, with musical diversions adding to the harmonious journey." Vesa Lassila is a Finnish guitarist who grew up in the city of Ylivieska. He began to play guitar at the age of twelve and little later began to take lessons with Jorma Styng. Lassila studied classical guitar in Helsinki and Oulu Conservatory with guidance from Timo Korhonen, Ismo Eskelinen and Ilkka Virta, also with Jan Olof Ericsson in Piteå Music Hogskola in Sweden. He has taken part in masterclasses held by Oscar Ghiglia, Jukka Savijoki and Roberto Aussel. Lassila works as a guitar professor at the Institute of Music in Ylivieska, in northern Finland.

Tracklist 27 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Prelude 05:49
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    05:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  3. 2 II. Allemande 04:56
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    04:56
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  4. 3 III. Courante 02:24
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  5. 4 IV. Sarabande 01:50
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  6. 5 V. Gavotte I - VI. Gavotte II en Rondeau 04:47
    Track
    5
    Title
    V. Gavotte I - VI. Gavotte II en Rondeau
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  7. 6 VII. Gigue 02:16
    Track
    6
    Title
    VII. Gigue
    Duration
    02:16
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  8. 7 I. Prelude 02:33
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  9. 8 II. Allemande 02:19
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Allemande
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  10. 9 III. Courante 02:17
    Track
    9
    Title
    III. Courante
    Duration
    02:17
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  11. 10 IV. Sarabande 02:30
    Track
    10
    Title
    IV. Sarabande
    Duration
    02:30
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  12. 11 V. Bourrée 01:15
    Track
    11
    Title
    V. Bourrée
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  13. 12 VI. Gigue 02:58
    Track
    12
    Title
    VI. Gigue
    Duration
    02:58
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  14. 13 I. Prelude 03:19
    Track
    13
    Title
    I. Prelude
    Duration
    03:19
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  15. 14 II. Fuga 06:13
    Track
    14
    Title
    II. Fuga
    Duration
    06:13
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  16. 15 III. Sarabande 03:49
    Track
    15
    Title
    III. Sarabande
    Duration
    03:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  17. 16 IV. Gigue 03:05
    Track
    16
    Title
    IV. Gigue
    Duration
    03:05
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  18. 17 V. Double 03:41
    Track
    17
    Title
    V. Double
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  19. Disc 2
  20. 1 I. Preludio 04:47
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Preludio
    Duration
    04:47
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  21. 2 II. Loure 03:06
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Loure
    Duration
    03:06
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  22. 3 III. Gavotte en Rondeau 03:13
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Gavotte en Rondeau
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  23. 4 IV. Menuet I - V. Menuet II 04:28
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Menuet I - V. Menuet II
    Duration
    04:28
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  24. 5 VI. Bourrée 02:09
    Track
    5
    Title
    VI. Bourrée
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  25. 6 VII. Gigue 02:37
    Track
    6
    Title
    VII. Gigue
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  26. 7 Prelude 02:37
    Track
    7
    Title
    Prelude
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  27. 8 Fugue 05:48
    Track
    8
    Title
    Fugue
    Duration
    05:48
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  28. 9 Allegro 03:58
    Track
    9
    Title
    Allegro
    Duration
    03:58
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila
  29. 10 Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Chaconne (arr. V. Lassila for alto guitar) 12:02
    Track
    10
    Title
    Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Chaconne (arr. V. Lassila for alto guitar)
    Duration
    12:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Vesa Lassila