Dear Friends of the Seattle Bach Festival,
It is a joy to introduce you to our upcoming program, Sonic Architecture: Bach and Britten’s Cello Masterworks. Bach wrote some of the most opulent works in the baroque era – one example is the Christmas Oratorio we are so looking forward to presenting in December, festively scored for full baroque orchestra, choir and vocal soloists. At the other end of the spectrum are Bach’s works for single instruments such as these suites for solo cello.
For cellists and for many music lovers, the suites for solo cello are life-long companions. It begs the question – of all the great music in the world, why are there certain pieces we return to again and again? In my experience, some compositions are like a mirror – we return to them both for the pleasure and beauty of the music itself but also to see who we are, in this moment. Layered in the present experience are all of our memories of previous experiences with the music (either as a listener, or as a player). This can be a way of measuring where we have come from, and where we might go next, of remembering who we were and who we might become.
A dear friend of mine who has now passed on used to play the Sarabande from the 5th suite whenever he received news of a friend’s death. For him this Sarabande gave voice to his grief in a language that was beyond words. This was his way of honoring a treasured friendship and creating a sacred moment of remembrance. The alchemy of musical resonance can work through the pain of loss in both a physical and spiritual way. Contrast this with the experience of the opening of the 6th suite. The sheer exuberance, joy and sense of awe watching a master artist playing this virtuosic music feels like witnessing a mountaineer scale the side of El Capitan with mastery and artistry. There is a frisson for the audience of being in contact with an element of risk, but with the safety of being in the hands of a virtuoso on the instrument.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Bill play all 6 of the cello suites in one concert. While we agreed afterwards that a concert of all 6 suites is slightly too much music for one evening, that experience stayed with me for a long time. It was the kind of concert that was beyond inspiring – it made me feel glad to be alive and grateful for the opportunity to witness the conversation that happened that day between Bach, Bill, the cello, the room and the audience. The act of sharing a peak experience like this with others awakens a sense of collective effervescence. That concert took place in August during the middle of the Persied meteor shower. Watching the meteors dance across the sky that night after the concert, it felt like there was a cosmic connection between the dancing notes on the cello and the meteors streaking across the sky.
Thank you so much for joining us for today’s program. We look forward to sharing a varied season of musical delights with you!
With gratitude for your presence and support,
Tekla Cunningham
Director, Seattle Bach Festival