Cello Suites

American cellist Alisa Weilerstein describes a complete performance of the suites as 'a kind of shared spiritual experience… they go straight to the head and the heart' (Gramophone). Her 2020 Cello Suites recording was praised by The Guardian for its 'sunlit clarity'.

Johann Sebastian Bach composed his six Cello Suites during an especially happy period of his career. After his death they faded into obscurity – until their rediscovery in the 1900s by the virtuoso cellist Pablo Casals. They are now considered among the greatest works for the instrument.

All six draw on Baroque dance forms, including the courtly Allemande, the lively Courante, the stately Sarabande and the spirited Gigue. But each suite has its own distinct character. Together, they encompass optimism, sorrow and transcendent jubilation.