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Album Summary
Performer
Hopkinson Smith (Theorbo)
Notes & Reviews:
Smith returns to the masterpieces of Bach and records the renowned Suites BWV 1007, 1008 and 1009, transcribed by himself to the German theorbo. Along with this recording, Naïve is releasing a re- issue of Smith's famous recordings of Suites BWV 1010, BWV 1011 and BWV 1012. Hopkinson Smith is now the only musician to have recorded all of Bach's works that can be performed on a lute or on similar instruments. In early 2013 Hopkinson Smith will tour America and Europe exclusively with the program of the new releases.
Notes & Reviews:Recording information: MC2: Grenoble (10/2012).
Reviews
Mr. Smith continues to amaze.
Hopkinson Smith – Bach Suites no.s 1, 2 & 3 – Naïve
The new recording by the great virtuoso Hopkinson Smith continues his exploration of Bach’s music for solo instruments, in this case Suites no.s 1, 2 & 3 for unaccompanied cello. As with his previous, critically acclaimed recordings of Bach’s sonatas and partitas for violin and the cello suites no.s 4, 5 & 6, Mr. Smith has transcribed this group for the lute. In so doing (as he states in the liner notes) his intention is “…to approach ‘what Bach himself might have done’”. Since Bach did, in fact, adapt some of his own work for the lute, Mr. Smith’s excellent transcriptions can be thought of as an imaginative continuation of established musical practice first begun by the composer.
Among the many highlights of Mr. Smith’s performance, perhaps his most intriguing is his choice of instruments; what he calls the “German theorbo” is a large bodied lute of 13 or 14 strings, originally developed by Sylvius Leopold Weiss, famous Baroque lutenist and musical colleague of Bach, for use with orchestras. The additional range and depth of this particular instrument so perfectly matches the tonal requirements of music written for the cello that the often glaring differences in sound quality between bowed and plucked strings nearly disappears.
This is timeless music, brilliantly performed by an internationally acknowledged virtuoso, and recorded with state of the art clarity and precision. If you only buy 4 or 5 classical CDs this year, “Bach Suites no.s 1, 2, & 3” by Hopkinson Smith should be at the top of your list.
Highest Possible Recommendation 10 out of 10
Oscar O. Veterano
Submitted on 03/13/13 by Oscar O. Veterano
The new recording by the great virtuoso Hopkinson Smith continues his exploration of Bach’s music for solo instruments, in this case Suites no.s 1, 2 & 3 for unaccompanied cello. As with his previous, critically acclaimed recordings of Bach’s sonatas and partitas for violin and the cello suites no.s 4, 5 & 6, Mr. Smith has transcribed this group for the lute. In so doing (as he states in the liner notes) his intention is “…to approach ‘what Bach himself might have done’”. Since Bach did, in fact, adapt some of his own work for the lute, Mr. Smith’s excellent transcriptions can be thought of as an imaginative continuation of established musical practice first begun by the composer.
Among the many highlights of Mr. Smith’s performance, perhaps his most intriguing is his choice of instruments; what he calls the “German theorbo” is a large bodied lute of 13 or 14 strings, originally developed by Sylvius Leopold Weiss, famous Baroque lutenist and musical colleague of Bach, for use with orchestras. The additional range and depth of this particular instrument so perfectly matches the tonal requirements of music written for the cello that the often glaring differences in sound quality between bowed and plucked strings nearly disappears.
This is timeless music, brilliantly performed by an internationally acknowledged virtuoso, and recorded with state of the art clarity and precision. If you only buy 4 or 5 classical CDs this year, “Bach Suites no.s 1, 2, & 3” by Hopkinson Smith should be at the top of your list.
Highest Possible Recommendation 10 out of 10
Oscar O. Veterano
Submitted on 03/13/13 by Oscar O. Veterano
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Works Details
Bach, Johann Sebastian : Suite for solo cello no 1 in G major, BWV 1007 - Performer: Hopkinson Smith (Theorbo)
- Running Time: 15 min. 26 sec.
- Period Time: Baroque
- Written: 1720
Bach, Johann Sebastian : Suite for Cello solo no 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 - Performer: Hopkinson Smith (Theorbo)
- Running Time: 17 min. 25 sec.
- Period Time: Baroque
- Written: 1720
Bach, Johann Sebastian : Suite for Cello solo no 3 in C major, BWV 1009 - Performer: Hopkinson Smith (Theorbo)
- Running Time: 19 min. 7 sec.
- Period Time: Baroque
- Written: 1720
