Dane Johansen Bach Cello Suites Azica 71386 Digital release only
Released June 2025
Venue and other recording details not available
Johansen plays a modern cello made by Mira Gruzow and Gideon Baumblatt of Berlin
https://www.gruszow-baumblatt.com/
Bow is by Etienne Pajeot circa 1840 loaned by Sawyer Thomson of Thomson Violins.
The Cellist
Dane Johansen is a native of Alaska. He is the son of Fairbanks School of Talent Education founder and Fairbanks Suzuki Institute Music Director Gail Johansen. Researching this cellist is both fascinating and frustrating. There is quite a lot of on line information about him up to 2016 at which point he joins the Cleveland orchestra. After this point things dry up with non functioning web site and a Facebook page with few recents posts since 2015 with mention of parting of the ways with the Escher quartet.
With persistence there are various snippets from other Facebook pages mainly relating to the ‘Camino”. PS I have found a second Facebook page which appears to have been updated more recently and mentions the completion of the Bach Cello Suite recording in a post dated Jan 10th 2019. Accordingly, I suspect Johansen has made the very sensible choice of prioritising quality of life over pursuing a stellar career.
Going for a walk.
Around 2014 Johansen undertakes the project of walking the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage trail with his cello on his back! He undertook to film the process including 36 concerts in 40 days. There is film available of this for rent or purchase on line. I access it on Apple TV. Of interest to some; technical description of recording equipment used can be found here:
https://www.fast-and-wide.com/more/wideangle/5803-case-study-the-walk-to-fisterra
At first, I expected to hear about Dane Johansen and his music but perceived the film was more about the other pilgrims and tourists discussing their own journeys in life and faith. Many were with subtitles. The sections with dialogue from Dane seem to hint at some struggles beyond the walking. He mentions how due to cold and stiffness, it was very difficult to perform to his highest standard and he seems to feel he needed to part with his ego.
So, if at this point you are thinking the actual recording may be unremarkable or even mediocre be sure to read on, otherwise you will miss something quite special!
The Recording.
This is one of those recordings which draws very little attention to the environment and acoustic. Instead, the attention is allowed to focus on just the music. Consequently, there is no extraneous noise from either the performer of the technique used. The sound presented is very even and broad with no emphasis on any register of the cello. I would suggest ideal! I should note that some internet resources suggest that this recording was made on the Pilgrimage walk. However, the consistency of sound quality and lack of background noises lead me to strongly believe this is the product of a studio. Unfortunately, there is no information I can find about the details of the recording.
The music.
Suite no1.
Starting with the first Prelude, I am struck by just how smooth the playing is. It is more than legato. It is smooooth! The notes are played very evenly both in texture, intonation and timing. Even professionals of the highest standing can struggle to achieve this. A clue as to why and how may be found in this You Tube film. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt1k4uyTUuQ
Here Johansen talks of blurred crossing of the string to emphasise how he adjusts position and pressure of the bow to keep the sound as even as possible. In some ways this is basic cello technique, but it is clearly something that Johansen has focussed on at great length and with exceptional results.
Importantly, this is done with no loss of musicality, phrasing, or dynamics. The momentum keeps going with some picking up of pace matching the holding back sections. The long crescendo at the end starting 12 bars from the end and building over 8 bars to the final climax is sublime.
The first Allemande is a good mixture of the legato playing with very well-defined articulation in separate bow passages. There is a relaxed ambience to the playing with no forced emphasis. However, there is a lot of interest with clear phrasing.
The Courante demonstrates that the dance origins of many of the movements in the Suites are captured without drama or hubris.
In the Sarabande one can hear that each note of the chords is given careful weighting to bring out the various strands of the polyphony more clearly. Vibrato is very restrained and again the key notes are emphasised without force. The evenness of sound again impresses.
The Minuets demonstrate a great contrast between the legato quavers answered by the detached quavers.
The gigue is played very lightly and nimbly but retaining rhythm and impact.
Suite no 2.
The second Prelude repeats the trick of the first with very smooth playing which gives no clue at all to when the string is changed. It simply flows seemingly effortlessly with build-up and fade away as the music dictates.
Suites no 3.
The third Prelude impresses with gradual changes in dynamics, different voices and clear picking out of the polyphony. The cross-string work to my ear is meticulous with no blurring at the edges whilst at the same time exuding plenty of musicality. The Allemande is played lightly and nimbly with excellent articulation as is the Courante. The Sarabande is a masterclass in legato playing without sounding heavy handed. The Gigue again is played briskly but neatly and precisely with give and take in the tempo. As in all the movements there is good sense of direction and rhythm.
Suite no 4.
The fourth Prelude took me a while to adjust to. The different ways of playing the arpeggio passages in this movement could be subject of a study in its own right. Many players give great emphasis to the low E flat. Others emphasise the 2nd quaver. Johansen gives light emphasis to the bass note but then brings out quavers 2,4,6 and 8 which is a sort of hybrid. Once the cerebellum adjusts its very pleasing. (The cerebellum is the part of our brain which recognises patterns and rhythm in music).
Suite no 5.
The fifth Prelude is captured in all its grandeur with a sense of urgency throughout. There is good variation of dynamics so its not an auditory slog as some artists create but still a good build to the final climax.
The fifth Sarabande is very subdued, still lovely smooth flowing lines but no vibrato and gentle wax and wane in tone and volume.
The Gigue is brisk and very neatly played with precise articulation enforcing the rhythmicity.
Suite no 6.
The sixth Suite has a gripping edge to it which comes from a speed that is not pedestrian but not so fast as to feel the player could lose control. The sound is incisive in the upper registers. The Allemande has by contrast a reflective mood and great tenderness. The Courante is carried off with aplomb. The articulation is precise and rhythm very tight. The semiquaver passages are controlled and not rushed.
The Sarabande impresses with grace and again tenderness. Johansen picks out the middle notes of the chords and threads them together to add a third voice to the upper and lower themes. To my mind the gentler approach makes this more apparent than the full-blown approach of some artists which tends to drown the music in a blanket of noise!
Although the Gavottes are livelier and more rhythmic than the preceding Sarabande they are played with the same care and attention to each note in the chords-of which there are many! I note that Johansen does not give the second half of Gavotte 2 a full repeat but instead plays the last 5 bars again essentially mirroring the first half. It may well be that others have done this, but it is the first time I have noted it!
The sixth Gigue brings the recording to a suitable end with boldness, and precision. However, as during the whole performance; with rhythm and panache.
Conclusion.
What can I say to conclude? I am seriously concerned that I may be losing my objectivity! I find this to be an exceptional interpretation. There are other recordings that have more impact on first listen, more excitement and bigger sound. However, I cannot bring to mind many others that have the musicality, finess and coherence of this recording. And yet Dane Johansen is not a household name and doesn’t appear to be that active as a soloist. The current environment for top instrumentalists is very tough and clearly quality is not a guarantee of success. Please give this performance an audition on the streaming services and let me know what you think!
Charles