Casals, Fournier, Navarra & Rostropovich on Bach's Suites for solo cello

In the second Suite it was just as well that the Prelude was very well-played by all four cellists. Casals gives dark colours to this dramatic piece, as much with strong contrasts as with his flexible tempo which generally characterizes his playing. Navarra, who is a favourite of stereo equipment, performs this work with neatness and virtuosity, and also, with good contrasts and embossed voices (of the others, Casals does the same). The Prelude is played in a quicker than usual tempo -something that will make friends as well as enemies- but it is not lacking in expressiveness; the Gigue sounds a little harsh. Fournier is not at his best in this Suite, apart from the Prelude and the Sarabande; the other movements are somehow soft for such a dramatic piece of work, and especially the Minuets I & II which seem rigid. One is under the impression that the music doesn't flow freely. Rostropovich offers a very good Prelude, very expressive indeed, though somehow slow. His Sarabande, however, is so personal that it becomes unintelligible. The other movements are less inspired but his most unfortunate moment is in the Courante where the slow tempo is compounded with, for Rostropovich, poor vocalization.

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