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Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites

Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites Sales Rank : 450

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Binding : Audio CD
Brand : Sony
EAN : 0828767875125
ItemDimensions : hundredths-pounds 27
Label : Sony
Manufacturer : Sony
MPN : 78751
NumberOfDiscs : 2
OriginalReleaseDate : 1982-01-01
PackageQuantity : 1
ProductGroup : Music
Publisher : Sony
ReleaseDate : 2006-06-06
Studio : Sony
Title : Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites
UPC : 828767875125

Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites
Performer : Yo-Yo Ma Composer : Johann Sebastian Bach

Amazon Price : $19.68
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Audio CD ［ Sony ］［ Release Date : 2006 / 06 / 06 ］
EAN : 0828767875125 / ASIN : B000F6YW3K
[ List Price : $15.99 ] [ Used Price : $15.56 ]

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

・ Vivaldi's Cello
・ Bach: Cello Suites
・ Simply Baroque
・ The Cello Suites: J. S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece
・ Super Hits

User Reviews [ Avarege ( 26 people) :

5.0stars ]

" Bliss! " (Go Forth )

5stars

At the first note, this CD puts me at ease like nothing else. Warm and curvaceous notes guided by the deft hand of Yo-Yo Ma fill the air when this plays. After listening to this, the world feels like a better place to be.

(Review Date : 2009-12-16 )

" YoYo Ma " (Laurie A. Rubel )

5stars

Fabulous rendition of the Bach suites. The sound from Ma's cello is so evocative and rich. Highly recommended.

(Review Date : 2009-12-13 )

" Fabulous Yo-Yo-Ma " (J. Carroll )

5stars

Mix this CD with one reasonably good glass of wine and a decent hi-fi and you have the makings of a relaxing and wonderful evening! If you purchase only one Yo-Yo-Ma CD--make it this one! Enjoy!!

(Review Date : 2009-09-08 )

" Great Performance " (David A. Garcia )

5stars

This is a smooth, wonderful performance that wrings every last bit out of this incredible music.

(Review Date : 2009-09-07 )

" Exceptional " (francisco brambilla )

4stars

The single most astonishing performance by Mr. Ma. Somehow Mr. Ma outdones himself with this performance. This highly talented artist dares to interpret his composer with elegance and exquisite technique. Feel his fingers detecting the notes as he plays. Lisaten to his heart beat as he stops... In this CD by Mr. Ma, the musical notes invite you to participate with the composer to dance amongst the Lilies, and pleasantly be taken in the air by wind and water. This CD is amongst my very favorites to do art work, oil painting or calligraphy. perfect for expectant mothers and new borns.. Highly recommended.

(Review Date : 2009-06-10 )

[ See more user reviews (26 reviews here) ]

Bach: The 6 Unaccompanied Cello Suites

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Performer:Wouter Verschuren Performer:Yo-Yo Ma Performer:Jonathan Manson Composer:Antonio Vivaldi Conductor:Ton Koopman Performer:Mike Fentross Performer:Alfredo Bernardini Performer:Michel Henry Orchestra:Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra Performer:Margaret Faultless

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4.5stars [ See more reviews ]

What I love most about this album as opposed to his newest album this year the Piano Trios is how the cello seems forfront and is the star of this album. I just got acouple of his albums and while they are awesome to listen to, what I love the most about this album is the cello. The cello blends in discreetly but mostly is stands out on its own. I am a Yo Yo Ma fan to the end!!! Great music for any contemporary classical fan!! Bravo!!

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Yo Yo Ma is one of the most phenomenal musicians of modern day. Whether it's Vivaldi, Hayden, Bach or James Taylor that comes from his cello, you can be assured that he makes it his own and it is handled with the best of care. I bought this (and other Yo Yo Ma) for my wife for Christmas and I think I have listened to it as much or more than her.
I believe that if the younger generation of what is lightly referred to as "musicians" were to listen to him and how he plays, not with his hands but with his heart, they would simply have to step out of the world referred to as musical talent due to embarrassment.
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5stars - "Masterful Musician" (Brian K. Reid)

Vivaldi's music is a joyful celebration of life. Although his works for the 'cello are well known, the violin usually takes priority. Yo Yo Ma's interpretation of Vivaldi through the 'cello, both music Vivaldi wrote for the violoncello and violin music adapted for it, is a musical miracle. Composers of the Baroque Era often rearanged music for various instruments; so no artistic damage is done. And the lugubrious tones of Ma's 'cello call to mind the wonderful pleasure of an excellent cheese complimented with fine wine. A total treat.

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Excellent relexful music that brngs down my blood pressure when listening to such melodic sounds.

Excellent relexful music that brngs down my blood pressure when listening to such melodic sounds.

4stars - "yo-yo ma bach suites" (John B. Reyes)

Look, this cd has its bright spots, but there is so much that just didn't work out with it. Firstly, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra plays with its usual energy and authentic approach, but Yo Yo plays in a modern style. The two just don't mix. I keep expecting to hear some decorations to the cello line but there just aren't any. Some of the music is just played too fast such as the slow movement of the double cello concerto. It was almost as if playing baroque style for Yo Yo Ma just meant playing it faster. The slow movement of the winter concerto was completely empty of any kind of decoration or originality. It was just straight and flat.
And the transcriptions! Oh gosh, why transcribe music that is not suited to the cello? Vivaldi fans will miss the viola d'amore in the concerto RV 540. The virtuosic "Laudamus te..." from the Gloria is interpreted by a cello. How does one go from a soprano to a cello and call it a successful transcription? Sadly, it just isn't effective.
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3stars - "Clash of Civilizations Koopman Yo-Yo Ma" (Alexander Mendez)

Bach: Cello Suites / SalesRank : 4755

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Bach: Cello Suites
Performer:Pablo Casals Composer:Johann Sebastian Bach

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Audio CD [ EMI Classics ] [ Release : 2003 / 10 / 07 ]
EAN : 0724356261723 / ASIN : B0000CG8EF
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Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]
After years of telling myself "sometime I will get a recording of Casals playing the Bach suites" I finally did. His rendition is flawless, at least to my ears. The liner notes explain that he found the music in a dusty shop when he was in his early teens, and devoted years and years of study to their performance.

After years of telling myself "sometime I will get a recording of Casals playing the Bach suites" I finally did. His rendition is flawless, at least to my ears. The liner notes explain that he found the music in a dusty shop when he was in his early teens, and devoted years and years of study to their performance.

5stars - "A timeless classic" (woodstock_ap)

For me, Cassals can play what ever he wants and I will like it. WHY? say you? Because the spaniard had an enormous amount of talent. Let's say like the "Midas" touch of music. Cassals always went out of his way to perform his best. So much so that many times he surprised himself doin it so. highly recommended CD. Elegant, classy, easy listening but with gusto and above all passion, the Bach style in Cassals fingertips.. Enjoy

3stars - "Guitar Genious" (francisco brambilla)

I have both this remastered EMI transfer and the Japanese Opus Kura CD set, so I do not think I am destroying anyone's business by my short comment. Neither I want to deprive anyone of the joy of listening to Casals' Bach in either transfer. If you already have a CD version and are happy with it, don't try to get its alternatives. My review is for those music lovers who don't have the Cello Suites BWV 1007-1012 on CD yet or are still looking for the optimal variant.
If you buy this remastered EMI, you get a better package, liner notes and a good sound with noise reduction. If you buy Opus Kura, you get an even better sound, but with more hiss. If you are afraid of hiss and like retouched transfers of vintage recordings, buy the EMI set. If you love Casals' timbre and want to get a more natural sound, Opus Kura is a variant for you.
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5stars - "Great recordings in good transfers: EMI and Opus Kura" (Anton Zimmerling)
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5stars - "Pau Casals, the Universal Catalan Cello Player" (Benjamin)
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To anyone else with ears either side of their head - listen to the cd and enjoy it for what it is!

For Mr. Get Real[your nom-de-plume and your review is an oxymoron!] - what a lot of pretentious, overblown nonsense. I bet you were bullied at school! It's about the music, the interpretation, the feeling - not +/- decibels etc etc. Your review did nothing for casual classical music listeners.
To anyone else with ears either side of their head - listen to the cd and enjoy it for what it is!

1stars - "Pretentious twaddle" (P. Leay)

Simply Baroque / SalesRank : 1673

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Simply Baroque
Performer:Yo-Yo Ma Composer:Johann Sebastian Bach Composer:Johann Christoph Bach Composer:Luigi Boccherini Conductor:Ton Koopman Orchestra:Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra

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Audio CD [ Sony ] [ Release : 2003 / 09 / 30 ]
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5.0stars [ See more reviews ]
I never get tired of listening to this CD. It is beautiful, healing, and relaxing. My husband usually does not listen to any classical music but this one. Both he and I love this! Just let you know that the newer version of this title is "un-rippable" so if you want to listen to them on your MP3 player, I recommend that you purchase MP3 version instead.

I never get tired of listening to this CD. It is beautiful, healing, and relaxing. My husband usually does not listen to any classical music but this one. Both he and I love this! Just let you know that the newer version of this title is "un-rippable" so if you want to listen to them on your MP3 player, I recommend that you purchase MP3 version instead.

5stars - "Beautiful music" (Bigwig Y)
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I bought this because I love to listen to cellos. On my Mark&Daniels,the sound is first rate, overall. ButI would have loved to have the cello given a bit more prominence, audio-wise. The accompanying instruments are aggressive enough to drown the cello out in the musical pictures, except for the first selection which is just fabulous.

4stars - "a little bit of prominence to the cello, to go with the picture" (Renato B. Bismonte)

The Baroque Period in Europe originated in the early 17th century and reached it's peak in the early 18th century. The English word "baroque" is translated from the Italian "barocco", meaning "bizarre". "Passionate" is probably more like it. Johann Sebastian Bach is the most celebrated of the Baroque composers, although George Frederick Handel and Antonio Vivaldi are also famous for their Baroque music.

Yo Yo Ma's Simply Baroque (1999) brings the Grammy Award winning master cellist together with the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (Ton Koopman) to perform mostly Bach pieces from the 18th century late Baroque period. You might recognize some of this music even if you don't know your classical music. It is thoughtful and soothing, even sounding sacred at times. Yo Yo's rich and soulful cello brings a sad beauty to these beautiful melodies, and his skillful perfection is satisfying and impressive. Enveloped by the A.B.O., Ma brings these great compositions to life, and once again a new generation hears the music of Bach and Boccherini.

You don't have to know anything about classical music to enjoy Simply Baroque; it's quite enjoyable just as it is. It's relaxing, reflective and interesting. It's simply... wonderful!

5stars - "YO YO MA'S SIMPLY BAROQUE IS SIMPLY... WONDERFUL !" (ol' nuff n' den sum)
Simply Baroque
Beautiful listening and perfect showcase for Yo-Yo-Ma. This music can be enjoyed every day and still give you the emotions that you felt the first time you heard such music played.

Simply Baroque
Beautiful listening and perfect showcase for Yo-Yo-Ma. This music can be enjoyed every day and still give you the emotions that you felt the first time you heard such music played.

5stars - "classical music" (ming2)
Yo Yo Ma is a consummate musician. If you love baroque music, you'll love this CD. It offers a sublime musical experience.

Yo Yo Ma is a consummate musician. If you love baroque music, you'll love this CD. It offers a sublime musical experience.

5stars - "Outstanding Musical Experience" (Joseph G. Rousseau)

The Cello Suites: J. S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece / SalesRank : 4988

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The Cello Suites: J. S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece
Author : Eric Siblin

Amazon Price : $16.32 32%($7.68) OFF
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Hardcover [ Atlantic Monthly Press ] [ Release : 2009 / 12 / 15 ]
ISBN : 9780802119292 / ASIN(ISBN-10) : 0802119298
[ ListPrice : $24.00 ] [ Used Price:$15.47 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]

What a wonderful journey this book is!

How refreshing and rewarding it is to travel with Eric Siblin in his discovery and learning to love these truly wonderful suites, and gain more knowledge of them. He weaves SO much into this marvelous book, including a semi biographical line of Pablo Casals...the "discoverer" of these wonderful pieces as a young cellist and his "growing" with them, practicing daily for many years before ever playing them publicly and recording them for EMI. We also get Mr. Siblin's personal journey of discovery and fascination with this music, cleverly used piece by piece and movement by movement as chapter and sub-chapter titles! And, also, the wonderful searching into and documentation of J. S. Bach's life and likely time-frame of composition of these most lovely pieces for solo cello, at the time a most neglected instrument. Bach, ever the genious and consummate artist/creator, surely had an insight that no-one else of his time shared...and how very very fortunate, lucky, and gifted we are to have, in particular, these six pieces, along with all his other masterly compositions....truly one of the greatest musical geniouses ever to grace the planet.

Mr. Siblin has certainly done ALL his homework before writing this excellent and enlightening book. I cannot think of anyone, music lovers of course, but also anyone interested in history, biography, and plain "discovery" who would not be totally caught up in this fabulous journey of the author in his quest to learn more, from interviewing cellists, listening to many many recordings of the works, researching "Papa" Casals' life and journey with this music, and also J. S. Bach and the creation of these wonderful Suites for this truly most expressive and beautiful of all instruments!

Kudos to you, Eric Siblin, for one of the finest reads that I have had the pleasure to enjoy in a very long time!

operabruin

5stars - "an Extraordinary and Enlightening Read!" (Gregory E. Foster)

It is hard for me to imagine Bach's Cello Suites as absent from my collection of CDs, or from the records that I used to have, or, for that matter, from the role of standards within the huge Bach oeuvre. They are beautiful, jaunty, sad, and puzzling, and meet anyone's definition of fine classical music. The truth is, though, that they dropped away from the world's musical knowledge (only partly because the world was slow to understand how much Bach had given it) and really didn't surface until the twentieth century, when Pablo Casals resurrected them. Even then, they didn't make any impression on music critic Eric Siblin. That's not surprising. Siblin had been a pop music critic in Montreal, "a job that had filled my head with vast amounts of music, much of which I didn't want to be there." Still, in 2000 idle curiosity led him to a performance of the suites, mostly because he chanced to be in a hotel near the recital hall. The performance was a revelation: "music more earthy and ecstatic than anything I'd ever heard." In _The Cello Suites: J. S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece_ (Atlantic Monthly Press), Sibling tells the welcome stories of the composer, the performer, and his own growth in understanding of the suites. Part of his "search" is literally for Bach's lost original score for them; that's OK, but it won't ruin your appreciation of the book to know that if he had found the original, there would have been international headlines about the discovery. The better part of the search is his growing musical appreciation and fondness for the suites, and for their historical lore.

Bach was not a musical sensation in his own lifetime. His own contemporary Handel was far more famous, and Bach never approached the sort of superstardom that Mozart or Beethoven would attain. After his death, it was the sons that got the manuscripts of his work. There are stories that some of his handwritten pages went to the padding to wrap around fruit trees, or in a shop for wrapping cheese, or even as detritus in a New York City construction site. The original manuscript of the Cello Suites has never turned up. Bach's wife sometime around 1730 made a copy of the original manuscript to give to a violinist. Her copy went from one musician to another, winding up in a royal library in Berlin in 1841, where it was mostly ignored. The thinking seemed to be that the suites were perhaps technical exercises for cellists, not performable pieces. Then in 1890, Pablo Casals, thirteen years old and a prodigy, was looking for music to play, rummaging through a sheet music store in Barcelona. A tattered copy of the suites caught his eye; he had not known that they existed. They were to change his life. He practiced them every day (a routine he would keep up during his long life), but it was twelve years before he would perform them in public. Casals, in exile from Spain, refused to play in countries that recognized Franco's government; he might have waivered on this pledge in order to enter the US and play at the United Nations, but he would not play the Cello Suites which were his spiritual key signature.

Siblin's book is a lovely tribute to the suites, to Bach, and to Casals, but it is also a rewarding introduction to classical music itself. The classical world was new to Siblin (although he can't help commenting on, say, Bach's influence on Procol Harum, or on hip-hop) and the book would be a fine introduction to give to a young person who might have a first interest in classical music. Siblin's descriptions of the music are good, though abbreviated. Much more fun are his expeditions to put himself into Bach World. Interviewing Walter Joachim, an 80-year-old veteran cellist, he got the advice that he should learn to play the cello. "Not that I could ever be any good, he cautioned. I was too old for that to ever happen. But it would give me some insight." And it does; he got to play some Bach, although not the suites themselves, which were simply too intimidating. His modest results were sobering, but they did bring him closer to appreciating the suites. He joined a choir of amateurs spending a weekend learning to sing a Bach cantata for a one-off performance. Remember what an amateur is literally: someone engaged in an activity for the love of it. Throughout this sparkling book, Siblin the amateur has written intelligently about the Cello Suites as a newbie coming to a fuller appreciation. It is an appealingly fresh view of a pinnacle of music.

5stars - "An Informed Newbie's View of a Classic" (R. Hardy)

Eric Siblin has done a nice job of combining just enough biographical information (ie stories) about Bach and Casals and the wonderful cello suites with just enough about Eric Siblin. He rightly recognizes that Casals and Bach are more interesting than he is, which is not always the case in these personal history books.

If you're already up on Bach and Casals and the suites you won't find anything new here, but the story is charmingly told in a way that interests people not already classical music buffs. Siblin has done a service here, and had fun doing it.

There's a useful bibliography and an unobtrusive set of sourcing footnotes, too.

The copy editing is lacking - for example, don't try to find a biography of Casals by .i. Katz. However irritating this and other minor errors may be, they don't ruin a very pleasant read.

So if you have a nonscholarly interest in Bach, in Casals, in the cello, or in the magisterial Cello Suites, you'll enjoy this book and learn from it - painlessly.

4stars - "Enjoyable intro to Bach and Casals, and to the cello suites" (Jessica Weissman)
This book is awesome! Reading about the history of Bach and Pablo was a delight. I really didn't know much about the two and now I have a good understanding of who these great men were. I even started taking cello lessons! The stories seem so vivid when you read them as if you were there observing Bach and Pablo. Buy this book!

This book is awesome! Reading about the history of Bach and Pablo was a delight. I really didn't know much about the two and now I have a good understanding of who these great men were. I even started taking cello lessons! The stories seem so vivid when you read them as if you were there observing Bach and Pablo. Buy this book!

5stars - "Harmonious" (tjd)
If you like JS Bach's music, especially the cello suites, you must read this book. It is well conceived and well written. I enjoyed it thoroughly. There is a lot of speculation in it (things may have happened this or that way), but that's inevitable due to the dearth of documentation of Bach's life. I highly recommend it.

If you like JS Bach's music, especially the cello suites, you must read this book. It is well conceived and well written. I enjoyed it thoroughly. There is a lot of speculation in it (things may have happened this or that way), but that's inevitable due to the dearth of documentation of Bach's life. I highly recommend it.

5stars - "Very Good Book" (S. Anderson)

Super Hits / SalesRank : 1350

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Super Hits

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Audio CD [ SonyBMG Special Markets ] [ Release : 2007 / 11 / 19 ]
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This was actually and ad-hoc purchase to allow free shipping on other items. I've purchased a lot of music recently and with this disc I've scored once again (meaning I really enjoyed music I've never heard previously)! This is a great sampler that has something for everyone in terms of style conveyed by a true master. This disc would have been a good deal at $10.00. At $6.00 it's a steal and highly recommended.

5stars - "Beautiful music at a great price" (E. Lockett)
I love Yo-Yo Ma and this CD is very enjoyable with a variety of different style songs (classical & contemporary). I am happy I added it to my collection especially for this price!!

I love Yo-Yo Ma and this CD is very enjoyable with a variety of different style songs (classical & contemporary). I am happy I added it to my collection especially for this price!!

5stars - "Relaxing, Fun, Perfect" (booklover)
Lots of rhythms, slow and fast, classical and more contemporary. Bought it for my 14 yr old son who is learning cello -- very inspirational for him.

Lots of rhythms, slow and fast, classical and more contemporary. Bought it for my 14 yr old son who is learning cello -- very inspirational for him.

5stars - "love it" (K. D. Boyd)
Super Hits
I loved this CD. It has a good variety of styles of his music.

5stars - "YoYo Ma The super hits" (E. Naea)
Super Hits This album can be summed up in one word...
"GREAT" Although I enjoyed the Christmas album a little bit more, I can't think of anything negative to say about this man's work...sleep to it on my MP3 and headphones every night along with a few other of his albums.
AWESOME album!!!!

Super Hits This album can be summed up in one word...
"GREAT" Although I enjoyed the Christmas album a little bit more, I can't think of anything negative to say about this man's work...sleep to it on my MP3 and headphones every night along with a few other of his albums.
AWESOME album!!!!

5stars - "YO YO MA SUPER HITS" (Stuart Ross)

Cello for Relaxation / SalesRank : 4987

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Cello for Relaxation
Composer:Saint-Saëns Composer:Bruch Composer:Fauré Composer:Delius Composer:Liszt Composer:Travener Composer:Schumann Composer:Offenbach Composer:Bach Composer:Chopin

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Audio CD [ RCA ] [ Release : 2001 / 06 / 19 ]
EAN : 0090266379828 / ASIN : B00005KCH1
[ ListPrice : $7.99 ] [ Used Price:$4.67 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]
This turned out to be a great compilation. I bought it because it was the only recording I could find of the Bruch Canzone and ended up liking the whole disc. The Bruch Canzone was outstanding.

This turned out to be a great compilation. I bought it because it was the only recording I could find of the Bruch Canzone and ended up liking the whole disc. The Bruch Canzone was outstanding.

5stars - "Great Compilation" (James L. Wilt)
Beautiful music. The cello really comes through. Relaxing. Also exciting for me because I like it so much.

5stars - "writer" (Michele M. Towery)
I play this for my son when he is going to sleep and it is enjoyable for both of us. A few of the songs are a little "off" the purely soothing edge, but it's still very nice.

I play this for my son when he is going to sleep and it is enjoyable for both of us. A few of the songs are a little "off" the purely soothing edge, but it's still very nice.

4stars - "a really nice soothing cello collection" (D. Michelsen)
Currently I'm enjoying this cello music while in the car, as it lessens the stress of traffic. It contains a variety of cello pieces that have beauty and grace. As a cellist I appreciate the supurb execution of each piece. This CD is everything I hoped it would be.

Currently I'm enjoying this cello music while in the car, as it lessens the stress of traffic. It contains a variety of cello pieces that have beauty and grace. As a cellist I appreciate the supurb execution of each piece. This CD is everything I hoped it would be.

5stars - "A Fine Way To Relax" (K. G. Cohen)
I really enjoy this CD. I go to sleep with it playing almost every night.

5stars - "Cello for relaxation" (Karen's man)

The Essential Yo-Yo Ma / SalesRank : 6005

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The Essential Yo-Yo Ma
Performer:Nilson Matta Performer:Hector Console Performer:Edgar Meyer Performer:Marc Michel Performer:Jon Burr Performer:Yo-Yo Ma Performer:Paquito D'Rivera Composer:Johann Sebastian Bach Composer:Antonio Vivaldi Composer:Camille Saint-Saens Composer:Jules Massenet Composer:Fritz Kreisler Composer:George Gershwin Composer:Sergey Rachmaninov Composer:Dmitry Shostakovich Composer:Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky Composer:Johannes Brahms Composer:Antonin Dvorak Composer:Cesar Camargo Mariano Composer:Heitor Villa-Lobos

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Audio CD [ Sony ] [ Release : 2005 / 08 / 16 ]
EAN : 0827969392720 / ASIN : B000A7Q29G
[ ListPrice : $15.99 ] [ Used Price:$6.00 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]
The CD was delivered in a timely manner. The condition of the entire package, including the sound quality were all as promised.

The CD was delivered in a timely manner. The condition of the entire package, including the sound quality were all as promised.

5stars - "Great CD" (S. Dinteman)
I love the music, Yo-Yo Ma's artistry and the diversity. I particularly enjoy CD1. I first heard a selection on a young friends iPod. I purchased the CD as a gift for my father - but my ulterior motive was so I could load it onto my iPod! Hey, we both benefitted!

I love the music, Yo-Yo Ma's artistry and the diversity. I particularly enjoy CD1. I first heard a selection on a young friends iPod. I purchased the CD as a gift for my father - but my ulterior motive was so I could load it onto my iPod! Hey, we both benefitted!

4stars - "A must-have" (Iris Eyes)
Though this is my first YO-YO Ma CD, it wont be my last!
This is a very nice 2 CD set with a wide range of classical, cultural and contemporary work. Hard to say which CD I like the most, both are excellent

Though this is my first YO-YO Ma CD, it wont be my last!
This is a very nice 2 CD set with a wide range of classical, cultural and contemporary work. Hard to say which CD I like the most, both are excellent

4stars - "Essential Yo-Yo Ma" (Michael Johnson)
I just love him... I love his music..
Just a fact that CD case was all broken, it's all good as long as I can hear his music.

I just love him... I love his music..
Just a fact that CD case was all broken, it's all good as long as I can hear his music.

5stars - "Love him" (Kelly Shin)
My nephew mentioned his desire to hear some classical music (Yo-Yo Ma, especially) on the boring trips back & forth from college. He really seemed to enjoy receiving the CD for Christmas!

My nephew mentioned his desire to hear some classical music (Yo-Yo Ma, especially) on the boring trips back & forth from college. He really seemed to enjoy receiving the CD for Christmas!

5stars - "Yo-Yo CD" (L. K. Fylling)

Bach: The Art of Fugue / SalesRank : 3692

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Bach: The Art of Fugue

Amazon Price : $14.99 12%($1.99) OFF
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Audio CD [ UMVD Labels ] [ Release : 2003 / 08 / 12 ]
EAN : 0028947449522 / ASIN : B00008O8B3
[ ListPrice : $16.98 ] [ Used Price:$7.99 ]

Average Customer Review :

5.0stars [ See more reviews ]
I heard this on some radio's BACHFEST program, and what caught me is the acoustic clarity and simplicity -- you'd think the Emerson String Quartet was sitting in the next room. I usually listen to music of this type while working, but with this one I keep putting work down to sit and take it all in, the music is so crisp and involving. With 22 tracks, there's also plenty to enjoy.

I heard this on some radio's BACHFEST program, and what caught me is the acoustic clarity and simplicity -- you'd think the Emerson String Quartet was sitting in the next room. I usually listen to music of this type while working, but with this one I keep putting work down to sit and take it all in, the music is so crisp and involving. With 22 tracks, there's also plenty to enjoy.

5stars - "Lovely Simplicity" (T. Sniffen)

The problem is, of course, what ensemble and the answer is, of course, that there isn't one answer, indeed, Bach may not have answered or raised this question himself. The homogeneity of a keyboard instrument, espcially, a harpsichord, will appeal to purists. I have several myself. Others will prefer the deconstructive and coloristic possibilities of a small string and wind ensemble. A string quartet (though Bach may never have heard one) offers a valid compromise, the narrower but still varied palette of bowed instruments. My only reservation is that the Emersons do not play this work with the restraint period performance practice might have imposed. Sometimes they indulge in a level of Angst und Sehnsucht more appropriate to Beethoven than Bach. Nonetheless, a valuable addition to any collector of the seemingly infinite angles from which this monument can be glimpsed. Is there a version for full orchestra perhaps conducted by Pierre Boulez?

4stars - "One more essential "Art of Fugue"" (Lawrence Daressa)

... and certainly more musical than any straight-through performance on piano, or harpsichord for that matter. There's no reason at all to treat the 22 items of Die Kunst der Fuge as a straight-through concert composition; Bach would surely have been flabbergasted at such an event. Rather, he seems to have intended this, his last work, as a testament of his musical thought and theory. In any performance, with any instrumentation, this is a cerebral sort of music. The pleasure of listening comes from listening closely and following the development. Not that it isn't beautiful! It is, but the beauty shimmers on the surface of the structural craftsmanship.

I respect the Emerson Quartet enormously. Their forthcoming (May 19th) CD of the two quartets by Leos Janacek, which I've heard in advance, should be a blockbuster. Their Haydn recordings are among my favorites. And there's nothing shabby about this interpretation of Bach, though it seems at times a little too opaque and dense. It's not close to my favorite recording of The Art of Fugue, however, and not because of historical purism. I very much prefer the performance by the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet on recorders of various sizes, chiefly at eight-foot pitch. Even with the limited dynamics of a recorder quartet, the ALSQ players seem to 'hear' deeper and clarify more. My favorite version of all is that of Musical Antiqua Köln, with Reinhard Goebel on violin, recorded in 1984, but available on Archive 'Masters' now. MAK mixes instruments, performing some of the contrapuncti on harpsichord, some on two harpsichords, some as a quartet of strings, some with strings and keyboard. The variety of instrumentation certainly makes the full seventy-six minutes performance more enjoyable, but the intense fugal independence of the voices, especially of the violas, in the MAK performance makes the music more vivid to my ears.

4stars - "Not an Unpleasant Sound from the Emerson Fiddlers..." (Giordano Bruno)

The Emerson Quartet are the last word is modern, slick string quartet groups. Their extremely streamlined sound works very well sometimes, othertimes not. Their recording are usually worth a listen, and usually rank high with the Gramophone, Penguin & BBC critics, but I often find I enjoy other quartets more in given works, and have often traded in for different versions. Too often, they're just too slick. In this case, that slickness works in just the right way.
My other string quartet version is a magnificent one by The Juilliard Quartet, their approach being completely different from the present set. The Juilliard perform this work, solemnly, deeply, and slowly, as if played in a cloister, or the medieval room at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It seems as if they've tried to make their quartet have the aural identity of a combo of viols (which is another good choice for this work, see the album by Fretwork, or parts of Jordi Savall's conception). If you're in the right frame of mind, and see this work as primarily a communion with the higher power, or a last throwback to the days of Sainte Columbe and Marin Marais, it would be hard to top this. I think one of this quartets best records.

In comparison, The Emersons provide a soundtrack for an art deco streamlined railway journey...their tempos are consistantly faster, with more sprite in their steps. The work certainly is EASIER to listen to this way, especially complete in one sitting. Their blend is smooth, they play wonderfully, but do lack the gravitas brought to the room by The Juilliards, or The Delme Quartet on Hyperion (in an edition prepared by Robert Simpson). But since this is a rather difficult work, and repetitive, The speed of the group gets to the point of each matter, choosing not to dwell on man's place in the universe, but to present a great piece of music for all to ENJOY! I would ultimately offer The Emersons as a first choice for newcomers to the work (although an orchestral transcription, by say Nevill Marriner & ASMF, might be the best intro, since the reputation of this, Bach's last work, is daunting), and to be listened to before getting to The Juilliards (recorded in 1987, released in '92 on cd). But both records are really excellent!

4stars - "Jet Age Fugues" (Paul D.)

Bach: The Art of Fugue I know very little about classical music (unlike other reviewers who have posted about this recording). I cannot compare skill of conductors, or the various pros and cons of the different renditions of one piece of music.

I can, however, tell you that this is a fantastic piece of music! I'm very glad I decided to investigate classical music; and Bach in particular. He is now my favourite composer.

About this piece, though. It is restrained, beautiful and very elegant. There is nothing bad I can say about this particular interpretation; the choice of instruments and arrangement was fantastic. I have heard this fugue performed with piano, but I'd definitely prefer the varied and multi-dimensional texture of the strings. There is so much depth, it is achingly beautiful. I should add that when I bought this, I did not even know what a fugue was. Don't hold that against me! I have since done some research.

Anyhow, this is wonderful. If you are particularly knowledgeable about classical music, I think you will like this. If you are not, I think you will still like it as much as I do. It is a bittersweet masterpiece.

5stars - "My favourite piece of classical music (so far)" (Mitch)

Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6 / SalesRank : 6185

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Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6
Performer:Mstislav Rostropovich Composer:Johann Sebastian Bach

Amazon Price : $29.49 11%($3.49) OFF
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Audio CD [ EMI Classics ] [ Release : 1995 / 06 / 13 ]
EAN : 0724355536327 / ASIN : B000002RUY
[ ListPrice : $32.98 ] [ Used Price:$15.44 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]
This is a beautiful, professionally performed CD - an important additiion to our collection.

5stars - "Bach cello suites" (Byron R. Boyles)

One first listen, choose a quiet time when the house is empty or at least when you won't be disturbed. Sit in a comfortable chair right in the sweet spot of the stereo image of a good stereo system. A good sound stage if very important for this particular recording (DON'T listen on headphones). Close your eyes and forgetting everything else, just listen. But only listen. Don't focus on the technical details of the music, don't worry that Casals might have been technically better or that Ma might stay closer to the dance-like origins. Just listen and let the music lead you away to another world another time.

Imagine perhaps that you have slipped into one of the back pews late one evening of deserted cathedral in France as a master, thinking he is alone, plays Bach's Cello Suites just for himself. He isn't worried about what the critics might think. He plays just to play. He plays with his eyes closed. His entire focus is the cello. You can almost see the spirit of the music flow down from his expressive face, down his arms and out of his hands and into the cello where it takes life as sound. He has no music in front of him, so this music is obvious a very old friend. And the technical side of your brain notes perhaps just a little too familiar a friend as he takes more liberties and is less disciplined that might be engendered by a more formal relationship to the music. But rather than detracting, that familiarity adds a human dimension to the music that no amount of technical accuracy could ever do. As you continue to listen, you realize that he isn't playing completely unaccompanied. The Cathedral in which you both sit is a participant as well. It holds and shapes the sound flowing from the hands of the master. So instead of sounding lonely and diminished on such an echoing stage, the music grows larger and fuller than any single instrument should be able to sound. Expansive and intimate at the same time in a wonderful juxtaposition. As the last note hangs in the air as if it too doesn't want this moment to end , the master sits quietly with his eyes still closed. You quietly slip out of the Cathedral, knowing that this moment wasn't intended for you, but honored none the less, and leave the old master to his remembrances and his old friend.

For me this is more than music. My great sadness is that I will never get to see Rostropovich ever actually perform these pieces. These CDs and my imagination will have to suffice. By all means buy other recordings. Bach put too much of his soul into these pieces for even this fabulous recording to contain. But you must absolutely buy this recording.

5stars - "Moved, No More Than Moved, Transported" (RocketMan1969)
I know little of classical music. My daughter has recently started to play the cello so I thought I might learn a little about the instrument by listening to some cello music. I have to say that I am astounded at the beauty of this music. Gavotte in D major must be the most beautiful song I have ever heard.

I know little of classical music. My daughter has recently started to play the cello so I thought I might learn a little about the instrument by listening to some cello music. I have to say that I am astounded at the beauty of this music. Gavotte in D major must be the most beautiful song I have ever heard.

5stars - "excellent" (Steven Nieves)
As a music student, I am overjoyed to have such wonderful renditions of Bach's Cello Suites in my possession. The liner notes about the Magdalena scores read by Rostropovich and his interpretation of each suite and movement is fabulous.

As a music student, I am overjoyed to have such wonderful renditions of Bach's Cello Suites in my possession. The liner notes about the Magdalena scores read by Rostropovich and his interpretation of each suite and movement is fabulous.

5stars - "Good Service; Fantastic Recordings" (Yume-san)

This rendition of Bach's cello suites is by far the best I have ever heard. The sound quality is so clear his fingers can be heard sliding on the strings and an occasional breath before a passage. The acoustics of the instrument are so perfectly recorded it would not sound any different live!

Also all suites 1-6 are flawless. As usual Rostropovich pulls off all 42 movements with laser guided precision and OCD accuracy.

5stars - "Rostropovich at his finest." (Susan P. Blassick)

Bach: The Cello Suites Inspired By Bach, From The Six-Part Film Series / Yo-Yo Ma / SalesRank : 8704

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Bach: The Cello Suites Inspired By Bach, From The Six-Part Film Series / Yo-Yo Ma
Composer:Johann Sebastian Bach Performer:Yo-Yo Ma

Amazon Price : $20.97 34%($11.01) OFF
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Audio CD [ Sony ] [ Release : 1998 / 02 / 17 ]
EAN : 0074646320327 / ASIN : B0000029YB
[ ListPrice : $31.98 ] [ Used Price:$15.25 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]

As a musical layman, I am not prepared to argue for the superiority of Yo-Yo Ma in this repertoire compared with Rostropovich, Du Pre, Casals, Starker, etc. I only know that Ma's warm, rich tone for me is the perfect complement to these exquisite, mysterious and ineffably spiritual works. I might prefer Du Pre if I heard her recording, but right now I am ecstatic with Ma's, and I think most listeners will be too.

5stars - "Warm, rich, intensely spiritual." (Miles D. Moore)

Yo-Yo Ma is an incredible musician and plays the cello in a way I could only dream. However, I am a big fan of Bach and especially these unaccompanied cello suites. I do not care for this recording. In my opinion, the tempo, phrasing and general nuance of these suites are not enjoyable because he takes many of them entirely too fast. I realize many players do this for various reasons (including demonstration of virtuosity) but I think the interpretation leaves much of the exquisite nuance un-communicated. Having said that, my wife likes this recording so she listens to the set in her vehicle and I stick to my recording made by Jacqueline du Pré.

2stars - "Very Special Music - Not a Special Recording" (W. Brown)
i love this music...i bought it from i tunes as a download but liked it so much that i bought the CDs from Amazon. Yo-yo Ma is amazing!

i love this music...i bought it from i tunes as a download but liked it so much that i bought the CDs from Amazon. Yo-yo Ma is amazing!

5stars - "Awesome Cello!" (K. Orders)

This is a beautiful performance of the Suites, certainly one of my favorites. Ma tunes his strings down a half step, giving his cello a warmer, richer tone than his 80s recording (pink cover). All in all, the differences between the two recordings are startling, and it is very interesting to compare the two. I especially like the more dancelike movements (examples: Suite 1 - Courante, Suite 2 - Minuets), and don't believe that anyone else plays them with as much elegance, which I think is the greatest attribute of Yo-Yo Ma's recordings. Ma has certainly put a lot of thought into these recordings and has produced one of the finest performances of the Bach Suites to date.

5stars - "Very Fine" (Evan Henley)
Beautifully played. I gave this as a gift to my music loving daughter and she was delighted.

5stars - "Bach: The Cello Suites Inspired by Bach, from the Six-Part Film Series/Yo-Yo Ma" (Gloria Jean)

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