Bach: The Cello Suites

Two decades after his first recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s suites for unaccompanied cello, Jian Wang returns to the composer’s masterpieces for the inaugural release of the DG China label. The suites are favourites of the acclaimed Chinese cellist, who brings to this second recording the many insights gained from 20 years of practising, teaching and performing them live. Widely considered to be the pinnacle of Bach’s writing for cello—and in fact his only writing for the instrument—each suite uses the typical Baroque structure of a prelude followed by five movements based on various dance forms of the era. “It’s a little like Chinese Tang and Song poetry, where every poem adheres to a strict framework yet each is unique,” Wang tells Apple Music. “That’s where Bach’s incredible creativity comes through, when he takes this conventional formula to another level.” Throughout the album, from the familiar strains of the first prelude, through the melancholy second suite and onward to the symphonic sixth, Wang’s superb control of bow speed and pressure produces a charming interplay of textures that almost seem to sing and dance. “I’d say that, overall, it’s more passionate,” he says of this recording. “For example, the rhythm, movement and spirit feel more directed rather than just a calm, steady presentation of notes. It’s like the spirit of calligraphic writing, a feeling that charges you with energy.” That energy gives these renditions a more spirited feel than the strict, metronomic precision often associated with Bach, although Wang is quick to note that Baroque music is not merely an intellectual exercise. “The historically informed performance aesthetic that has blossomed over the last few decades handles rhythm far more freely,” he says. “There’s a strong sense of entertainment, especially in Bach’s secular work. My performance is closer to that aesthetic.” As Wang’s relationship with the suites has evolved, a second visit to the studio represented an opportunity to capture his interpretations in as ideal a form as possible. However, he also wanted to be careful not to drain the music of its soul. “We are unwilling to pursue perfection at the cost of spontaneity,” he says. “I’d rather abandon perfection, because I believe good music must be alive. That feeling of spontaneous improvisation is particularly important.” Bach’s music, both sacred and secular alike, is often described as “divine”—but to Wang, that doesn’t place it out of reach of the ordinary listener. “When we listen to music, we’re hearing not only our own inner voice and that of the composer but also the voice of humanity that he’s depicting,” he says. “Perhaps there’s a trace of divinity inside of us all. Maybe the greatness of music lies in how it awakens the divinity in the heart of everyone—wishes and hopes, love for others and yearning for goodness and justice. What we ordinarily may not want to express can take flight on the wings of music.”