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New horizons and the literary Bach

Something of a hiatus over the summer.... After a brilliant holiday in Iceland, M and I relocated to Ottawa, Canada. Our new neighbourhood, Old Ottawa South, hosts a literary festival twice a year: Ottawa International Writers Festival. Last Thursday I tried out one of the events: an evening with writer Eric Siblin in Southminster United Church. Earlier this year I read his book The Cello Suites: J.S. Bach, Pablo Casals and the search for a Baroque Masterpiece and found it hugely enjoyable and informative. At first glance the book is a biography of J.S. Bach through the story of his 6 suites for unaccompanied cello; however, as Siblin also tells the story of 20th century Spanish cellist Pablo Casals, the book encompasses not only 17th but 20th century history, as well as Siblin's own journey with Bach.

Siblin was talking on the subject of Bach's Cello suites, accompanied by cellist Winona Zelenka. Zelenka is assistant principal cellist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and has recently released a recording of the Cello Suites. The mixture of literary event and musical performance was excellent. Siblin talked in 3 sections, interspersed with Zelenka playing selected movements as follows: firstly, the more widely known prelude and allemande from Suite No. 1; secondly, the sarabande and gigue from Suite No 2 (possibly written, according to Siblin, as an epitaph for Bach's first wife Maria Barbara); thirdly, the prelude and gigue from Suite No. 3. Zelenka's performance was exemplary, her full (unamplified - only Siblin had a microphone) sound resonated through the church; and it was refreshing to applaud after each part-performance (there have been a few articles in recent issues of Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine regarding the standard format of classical concerts).

In some ways the eclectic audience (which clearly encompassed those attending as regular Writers Festival-goers and those attending more for the music) was linked back to the 17th century, as the cello Zelenka played dated from around 1730 (unfortunately I did not catch the maker's name).

There are numerous recordings of the Cello Suites available. This is partly due to the way they are interpreted: in the Q&A session afterwards, Zelenka commented that there is no 1 authoritative manuscript, but at least 3, so each cellist has to determine their own interpretation.

Further review at the Ottawa Citizen here; I also follow the Citizen's classical music blog by Steven Mazey. As for the Writers Festival, I'll certainly be looking out for the Spring schedule!

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