Bach Archives

Bach in the Himalayas

Preface I wrote a book! Really? But I’m a cello player! I’ve been a cellist from such a young age; and, except for a brief departure (an aberration perhaps?) into thinking about being a chemical engineer in a belief that someone in my family could be other than a musician, I have been a cellist for over 75 years. I never thought I would write a book about being in solitude with Bach. And a memoir at that! I’d love to share the story. The Plan It all began in Boulder, Colorado, in 1999, when I needed a sabbatical idea. I had been playing string quartets for 23 years. I knew quartet literature: Shostakovich, Beethoven — all the great works for this ensemble. Now, teaching all levels of university [...]

By Judith Glyde|2024-07-01T18:09:09-04:00July 1st, 2024|Categories: Featured, Artistic Vision, Self Discovery|Tags: Bach, Bach Cello Suites, Mount Everest, Hiking, Nepal|

Conversation with Thomas Demenga (May, 2007)

Interview by Tim Janof Thomas Demenga, born 1954 in Berne, Switzerland, studied with Walter Grimmer, Antonio Janigro, Leonard Rose and Mstislav Rostropovich, among others. Important chamber-musical influences were Claus Adam, Felix Galimir, and Robert Mann at the Juilliard School in New York As an internationally renowned soloist, composer and teacher, Thomas Demenga counts among the most outstanding cellists and musicians of our time. He has performed at important festivals and musical centers around the globe and shared the stage with fellow musicians such as Heinz Holliger, Gidon Kremer, Thomas Larcher, Paul Meyer, Aurèle Nicolet, Hansheinz Schneeberger, Thomas Zehetmair, and Tabea Zimmermann. He has worked with conductors such as Moshe Atzmon, Myung-Whun Chung, Charles Dutoit, Claus Peter Flor, Howard Griffiths, Heinz Holliger, Armon Jordan, Okko Kamu, Mstislav Rostropovich, Dennis Russell Davies, [...]

By Tim Janof|2022-02-07T11:41:25-05:00January 31st, 2022|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Mstislav Rostropovich, Maurice Gendron, Thomas Demenga, Felix Galimir, Bach, Antonio Janigro, Leonard Rose, Walter Grimmer, Technique, Bent Endpin, String Types|

Conversation with Mischa Maisky (May, 2007)

by Tim Janof Mischa Maisky has the distinction of being the only cellist in the world to have studied with both Mstislav Rostropovich and Gregor Piatigorsky. Rostropovich has lauded Mischa Maisky as "... one of the most outstanding talents of the younger generation of cellists. His playing combines poetry and exquisite delicacy with great temperament and brilliant technique." Born in Latvia, educated in Russia, after his repatriation to Israel, Mischa Maisky has been enthusiastically received in London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, New York and Tokyo, along with the rest of the major music centers. He considers himself as a citizen of the world: "I'm playing an Italian cello, with French bows, Austrian and German strings, my daughter was born in Paris, my older son in Brussels and my younger one in [...]

By Tim Janof|2024-01-14T16:13:12-05:00January 17th, 2022|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Mstislav Rostropovich, Mischa Maisky, Zubin Mehta, Pablo Casals, Bach, Gregor Piatigorsky, competitions|

A Survey of Bach Suite Editions (1995)

I recently read that there are over 80 editions of Bach's cello suites in existence with publication dates ranging from 1825 to the present. When reading this, my initial reaction was one of incredulity; what significantly different information could the 80th edition, for instance, have to offer over the previous 79 editions? Fortunately, I didn't stop there. I realized that this could be viewed as a great tribute to Bach and a testimonial to the beauty of his cello suites. So I decided to investigate some of these editions and get a glimpse at the insights of each player. The Bach Suites have always been a point of contention in the cello world. Unlike violinists and their solo violin works, we do not have a manuscript copy of Bach's cello [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-12-13T02:20:46-05:00November 30th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Dimitry Markevitch, Pablo Casals, Diran Alexanian, Bach, Hugo Becker, Janos Starker, August Wenzinger, Editions, Bach Cello Suites, Pierre Fournier, Manuscripts|

Conversation with Steven Isserlis (May, 1998)

Interview by Tim Janof British cellist Steven Isserlis performs regularly with the world's leading orchestras, including the London Symphony and the Philharmonia, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago and San Francisco Symphonies, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and Japan's NHK Orchestra, collaborating with conductors such as Ashkenazy, Eschenbach, Gardiner, Norrington, Slatkin, Solti, and Tilson Thomas. He has enjoyed working with authentic instrument orchestras such as the English Baroque Soloists, the London Classical Players, and l'Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique, and he has also been an inspiration for composer John Tavener, who as a result has written many works for cello. Admired for his expertise in the chamber music repertoire, Isserlis has been responsible for programming and participating in successful chamber music festivals both at London's Wigmore Hall and at the Salzburg Festival, [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-09-16T03:04:15-04:00September 27th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire, Self Discovery|Tags: gut strings, trills, Schelomo, Zara Nelsova, Bach, Jane Cowan, vibrato, Ornamentation, Interpreation|

Conversation with Victor Sazer (1997)

Interview by Tim Janof Victor Sazer is the author of New Directions in Cello Playing. His teachers included Leonard Rose, Edgar Lustgarten, Claus Adam and George Neikrug. After leaving Juilliard, he became a member of the Houston Symphony. He later moved to Los Angeles where he enjoyed an active professional life in the film, television, and recording industries and as a chamber musician. Throughout his career, Mr. Sazer has been deeply committed to teaching and is widely recognized for his innovative and creative teaching methods. He served as an artist-teacher of cello and chamber music at the California State University at Long Beach for more than twenty years. He is a past president of the California American String Teachers Association and a founding member of the Los Angeles Violoncello Society. [...]

By Tim Janof|2024-03-04T13:19:41-05:00September 13th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Playing Healthy, Repertoire, Self Discovery|Tags: Janos Starker, tension, Victor Sazer, vibrato, New Directions in Cello Playing, Left Hand Thumb, Technique, Sitting Position, pain, bow arm, Bach|

Conversation with Margriet Tindemans (1996)

Dutch-born Margriet Tindemans is one of the most sought-after players of early bowed string instruments world-wide. She directs the Northwest Center for Early Music Studies and is on the faculty at the University of Washington. She has recorded for Harmonia Mundi Germany and France, Erato, Accent, Classical Masters, EMI, Smithsonian Collection, Eufoda, CRD, Koch International Classics, and Wildboar. I thought it would be interesting to read the views of an Early Music specialist, since we often read what the typical cellist thinks of the Early Music world. In other words, we get to hear from the "other side" in this interview. For those of you who don't know, when an Early Music person refers to a "Modern Cellist" they are referring to the typical cellist today, who does not attempt [...]

By Tim Janof|2022-08-22T14:21:22-04:00August 30th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Beyond the Traditional, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Historical Performance, Authenticity, Viola da gamba, Early Music, Performance Practice, Bach, Ornamentation, lntonation|

Conversation with Gordon Epperson (1995)

Interview by Tim Janof Gordon Epperson is Professor Emeritus from the University of Arizona. He is a renowned cello pedagogue and author, having written several books and articles, including The Art of Cello Teaching, which was derived from articles he wrote in the eight years he was editor of the "Cellist's Forum" in American String Teacher magazine. His recording of solo cello works by Ysaye, Crumb, and Kodaly has recently been released on CD. TJ: You went to Tanglewood in 1941, where Koussevitzky conducted and when Leonard Bernstein was a student conductor. GE: Yes, there were a number of young conductors, including Thor Johnson and Lukas Foss, but Bernstein was Koussevitzky's clear favorite and just dripped with talent. He wasn't afraid of anybody and was very brash. TJ: What was [...]

By Tim Janof|2021-08-26T17:25:55-04:00August 15th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Beyond the Traditional, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Leonard Bernstein, Bach, Thomas Beecham, Interpretation, Luigi Silva, Gregor Piatigorsky, Maurice Eisenberg, bow technique, Tanglewood|

Conversation with Arto Noras (April, 1998)

Interview by Tim Janof Arto Noras appears regularly with major orchestras throughout the world and has recorded extensively. A former student of Paul Tortelier at the Paris Conservatoire, he was a runner-up at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1966. He is also well-known for his appearances as a distinguished chamber musician and is a founding member of the Sibelius Academy Quartet. He is also the founder and artistic director of the Naantali Music Festival, as well as founder of the International Paulo Cello Competition. Since 1970, he has been Professor of Cello at the Sibelius Academy. TJ: You studied with Paul Tortelier. Were you the student he worked with for six hours on the first note of Schelomo? AN: No, we did that with the opening scale of the Bach's Third [...]

By Tim Janof|2022-06-18T15:48:12-04:00May 31st, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Competition, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: Performance Practice, Bach, Interpretation, vibrato, Paul Tortelier|

Conversation with Ralph Kirshbaum (March, 1997)

Interview by Tim Janof Ralph Kirshbaum's career encompasses solo performance, recitals, chamber music, teaching, and recording. He has appeared as soloist with major orchestras in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Each summer, he performs in chamber music festivals throughout the world. Mr. Kirshbaum is founder and artistic director of the RNCM Manchester International Cello Festival held every two years at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England, where he also teaches. TJ: You studied with Lev Aronson of the Dallas Symphony. You once said that he had a beautiful sound and right-hand technique. Was there something unique about his approach to bowing? RK: I wouldn't say that he had a unique technique, though, perhaps because of the profound experiences he had in Europe and in the [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-05-15T13:35:14-04:00May 3rd, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance, Repertoire, Teaching|Tags: Technical Freedom, Bach, Interpretation, repertoire, Aldo Parisot, Lev Aronson|

Conversation with Zuill Bailey (March, 2002)

Interview by Tim Janof Zuill Bailey is an engaging, multi-faceted American artist; a powerful performer who dazzles audiences with his technical and artistic command of the cello. His performances encompass concerts with orchestra, recitals and chamber music in the U.S. and abroad. The 2002/03 season begins with Mr. Bailey performing with the Chicago Symphony and Itzhak Perlman conducting in the opening weekend of the Ravinia Festival. Other concerto appearances include performances with the National Orchestra de Cuba, Phoenix, South Carolina, El Paso, Illinois, Lexington, Knoxville, and San Luis Obispo Symphonies. Bailey also continues his partnership with pianist Awadagin Pratt in a series of Duo recitals in addition to his recitals in Texas, Nevada, Washington DC, Arizona, Idaho, and Arkansas. An avid chamber musician, Bailey will also be presenting concerts in [...]

By Tim Janof|2023-05-01T13:22:05-04:00April 5th, 2021|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, In the Practice Room, Performance, Repertoire|Tags: repertoire, recordings, Joel Krosnick, Stephen Kates, Bach, Loran Stephenson, Practice|

Conversation with Steven Doane (August, 1994)

Interview by Tim Janof Mr. Doane is on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music. TJ: At what point did you decide that you would dedicate your life to music? SD: When I was in my second year in high school, I told my parents that I wanted to train to be a professional cellist. They asked my cello teacher if he thought I would be able to make it. He said, "I don't know if he'll be another Piatigorsky, but he should be able to make a living." Of course I was disappointed that he didn't say I was going to be another Piatigorsky, but my parents were reassured. I ended up studying with Richard Kapuscinski at Oberlin. Then I went to Stony Brook for a couple of [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-09-24T03:04:40-04:00September 16th, 2020|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Bernard Greenhouse, Competition, Interviews, In the Practice Room, Pablo Casals|Tags: Practice, Jane Cowan, Portato, legato, Mstislav Rostropovich, Pablo Casals, Bach, Interpretation, Bernard Greenhouse, Teaching, Steven Isserlis, Janos Starker, Richard Kapuscinski|

Conversation with Natalia Gutman (October, 1999)

Interview by Tim Janof Natalia Gutman was born in Kazan, Russia, and started to play the cello at the age of 5. In 1964, having already won the International Tchaikovsky Competition, she entered the Moscow Conservatory to study with Mstislav Rostropovich. Her First Prize in the 1967 Munich ARD Competition marked the beginning of her international career. Since then she has performed with the leading orchestras of the world, and with conductors such as Sawallisch, Muti, Abbado, Haitink, Svetlanov, Temirkanov, Celibidache, and Masur. She regularly appears with the most important summer festivals in Europe. Oleg Kagan and Sviatislov Richter were among Ms. Gutman's regular chamber music partners until their recent deaths. Richter once expressed his admiration for her by saying, " she is an incarnation of truthfulness in [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-09-08T18:32:39-04:00June 15th, 2020|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Interviews|Tags: Mstislav Rostropovich, Tim Janof, Natalia Gutman, alfred schnittke, Bach|

Conversation with Truls Mørk (April, 1999)

Interview by Tim Janof Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk was the first Scandinavian to be a finalist and prize winner in the Moscow Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982. He was a prize winner in the Naumberg Competition in New York in 1986 and the Cassado Cello Competition in Florence in 1983, and received the UNESCO Prize at the European Radio-Union competition in Bratislava. Since 1989, he has worked with the major orchestras of Europe, including the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, the London Symphony, and the City of Birmingham Symphony. In 1994 he was the featured soloist on a nationwide tour with the Oslo Philharmonic under Mariss Jansons, with appearances in Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Boston's Symphony Hall, and Chicago's Orchestra Hall, among others. He is also a dedicated [...]

By Tim Janof|2024-02-05T14:49:42-05:00February 9th, 2020|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Artistic Vision, Interviews, Performance|Tags: Benjamin Britten, Truls Mork, Schumann Concerto, Shostakovich Concerto, Lutoslowski, Bach, Dvorak Concerto, vibrato, Technique|

Conversation with Dimitry Markevitch (February, 1999)

Interview by Tim Janof Cellist Dimitry Markevitch's interests cover a variety of areas, including musicology, research into stylistic traditions, and teaching. He is a member of the American Musicological Society and the Société Française de Musicologie. He founded the Institut de Hautes Etudes Musicales (IHEM) in Switzerland. He discovered the Westphal and Kellner manuscripts of the Bach Suites, which had eluded musicologists for decades. He published his own edition of the Bach Suites (in its 3rd edition), which incorporates these manuscripts as well as the Magdalena. In 1964 he presented his edition in recital in Carnegie Hall in New York, playing all six suites in a single concert. He discovered two unknown works by Ludwig van Beethoven: the Sonata for Violoncello and Piano, Opus 64, and the Kreutzer Sonata, transcribed [...]

By Tim Janof|2020-06-02T02:01:36-04:00October 27th, 2019|Categories: Internet Cello Society Archive, Performance|Tags: Bach, Technique, Dimitry Markevitch, Musicology, Piatagorsky|

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