BACH SOLO SUITES (II)

J. S. Bach, Suites for Solo Cello

For the cello, Johann Sebastian Bach creates an entire expressive universe from nothing. He chooses the form of the dance suite without ever departing from the standard structure: allemande, courante, sarabande, gigue, preceded by a prelude and with a pair of galanteries (minuets or bourrées or gavottes) inserted between the third and fourth dance movements. Split into two evenings, the complete performance of the Suites is a cornerstone of the Festival concerts: presented in the evocative setting of the Eremo di Santa Caterina del Sasso in Leggiuno, it renews the tradition of offering Bach’s masterpiece with different performers each time. Sergey Malovè was born in Saint Petersburg and plays violin, viola, baroque violin and violoncello da spalla. With a broad repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music, Malov has distinguished himself in prestigious competitions in Genoa, Salzburg, Vilnius, Auckland, Munich and Tokyo. For the Suites, his performance on the rare violoncello da spalla can be heard, an instrument used in the Baroque and Classical eras, of which the Russian musician is an extraordinary virtuoso.