Bach's
six suites for solo cello have been recorded numerous times, in almost every conceivable way, but cellist
Bruno Philippe argues in his first-person notes that "honesty and faith in one's ideas can result in a form of individuality. Which means there are as many possible interpretations as there are cellists ready to serve this music." He delivers on this promise.
Philippe has been known previously for Romantic cello music, but the pandemic spurred him to investigate the
Bach suites and Baroque ways of playing them, guided by the Baroque ensemble
Jupiter. Here, he uses gut strings and a Baroque bow, but his is not exactly a historical interpretation; the Romantic orientation of his playing remains, with plenty of rubato and highly expressive phrasing. Instead, he uses the capabilities of the bow to achieve strong differentiation between the individual suites and also within them. He sees the six suites as emblematic of, in order, birth, experience, life, spirituality, death, and resurrection. Of course, one may take issue with these ideas, but each suite does emerge as an individual in his hands. Folkish elements in the dances are stressed, and one might sample the wiry and bracing Gigues to get an idea of his overall approach.
Philippe is well served by
Harmonia Mundi's sound engineering in an ideal venue called La Courroie, an old industrial building that allows the scope of the music to emerge while not overwhelming its interior qualities. A superb set of
Bach suites that will cause many to hear the music in new ways. ~ James Manheim
