Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suites

Editor's info:
EMI MASTERS celebrates the full glory of the greatest performances from the world's greatest catalogue of recorded music. Digitally remastered at Abbey Road Studios direct from the original master tapes, these classic recordings emerge with unparalleled immediacy. You will be left in no doubt that you are in the presence of legendary musicians and ageless interpretations.

Pablo Casals made his first recordings in 1915 (a series for Columbia), it would not be until 1926 that he again released a recording (on the Victor label). In 1905 he moved to Paris where with the pianist Alfred Cortot and violinist Jacques Thibaud he established the famous trio which would last until 1934. The trio recorded Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Schumann in versions which, even today, are regarded as touchstones of greatness. He also recorded cello sonatas by Beethoven and Brahms as well as the cello concertos by Dvooák and Elgar together with Bruch's Kol Nidrei. Arguably his greatest recording was made by himself alone: In three periods during the years 1936, 1938 and 1939 he committed to disc the six suites by Bach featured on this disc. Besides being a master of the cello he was a conductor and created an orchestra in his native Catalonia - Orquesta Pau Casals, Barcelona - indeed Cortot conducted it when Thibaud and Casals were the soloists in the recording of the Brahms Concerto for Violin and Cello and orchestra.