J.S. Bach: Six Cello Suites on Viola

I'm well acquainted with these suites from many different performances on cello but never heard them played on viola before. Helen Callus' viola has a beautiful tone and resonance, and she is very well recorded. She plays expressively and movingly without taking undue liberties with the rhythm and tempo. William Primrose believed that violists should never play the sixth suite because of its high pitch. It was written for the obsolete five string cello, so cellists and violists today in the absence of an E string have to play far up on the A string, especially in the prelude, which is probably not the best range for the viola. Callus, however, transposes the sixth suite from D major to G major, so that what would have been played on the highest string of a five string instrument, the E string, can be played on the A string, the highest on modern instruments. This brings the highest notes into a more flattering range for the viola, and it also means that the resonance of open strings isn't lost in the transition to a four string instrument. Obviously the first choice in these pieces is on the cello but if you want an alternate version, I recommend this recording enthusiastically.

This is a lovely recording. Ms. Callus is a most talented musician. This CD is great for listening for enjoyment and should be in the library of every serious student of the viola.

I have been listening to and playing classical music for about 30 years. As a young piano student I had to play Bach pieces... well, I hated them so much I never practiced them and finally my piano teacher gave up and let me play Chopin and Rachmaninoff instead. Ever since I have had this bias against Bach based on my dislike of those endless noodlings I was subjected to at the time. Actually, it was only a few years ago that I started to warm up to Baroque music in general, but even still I avoided Bach - it just seemed more fun to seek out the lesser knowns of the genre. I must confess, I have had a bit of smug pride in showing off my large, but Bach-less, Baroque music collection.

Then a couple of months ago I decided to learn how to play the viola and started searching for albums that featured the viola as a lead instrument. This album kept coming up in my searches so I listened to the samples out of curiosity and was impressed enough to put it on my wish list for future reference. A few weeks went by and I realized I was going back to this album on a regular basis to listen to the samples. It was obvious that I wanted the album, so my Baroque anti-conformist streak would have to end.

I have to say I absolutely love this album. It feels like I am sitting up front in a small empty recital hall with Ms. Callus only a few feet away up on stage - the recording is superb - it is such an intimate sound. The music is mesmerizing and pulls you into it's little world.

Helen Callus is an amazing talent with beautiful phrasing and tone. I look forward to hearing more of her work. And yes, maybe Bach's not so bad after all.