Although it's true that
Bach
was an inveterate self-borrower, arrangements of his suites for solo cello (and those for violin) tend to disappoint; the works were carefully composed to push the player to the limits of the solo instrument. These versions by string player
Alon Sariel
, however, are highly satisfying. There are a couple of stages to
Sariel
's conquest of the problems involved. First is simply the large variety of instruments he brings to bear.
is a versatile player who has performed and recorded on several different period instruments (and is also a conductor), but here, he outdoes himself with a Baroque guitar, archlute, Cremonese mandolin, Neapolitan mandolin, oud, and liuto attiorbato, the latter is a small lute related to the theorbo. Each instrument adds a layer of musical meaning that replaces
's multiple stops on the cello, and the sole appearance of the oud in the reprised Sarabande in the
Suite No. 2 for solo cello, BWV 1008
, is really quite striking. The second strength of
's readings is his facility as an arranger; he succeeds in replacing
's cello sonorities with those distinctive to the instruments he plays. There's also a
Mandolin Partita
of
's own composition; it is not
, of course, but it shares the instrumentally idiomatic virtues of the
arrangements. A wonderful recording, full of fresh sounds, that solves the
transcription conundrum. ~ James Manheim