Esther Nyffenegger. Bach Cello Suites. CD. DIVOX CDX 25349/50-2
Remastered edition released 2005
Original recording May/June 1971, Venue unknown.
Instruments used:
Suites 1&6 Andrea Guarnieri dates 1657.
2&5 Antonio Testore dated 1740.
3&4 Roland Sandner dated 1968.
No other information on set up provided.
The Cellist.
Esther Nyffenegger is a cellist from Switzerland who participated in masterclasses under Casals and Mainardi. It appears that she has recorded the Suites on two separate occasions. The more recent recording being in 1988 on Novalis 150037-2. There is very little other information available about this cellist on the internet, although I did locate a review of the 1988 recording by Gramophone magazine which was somewhat disparaging!
It is sobering to reflect on the fact she was the second female cellist to record the complete Suites, 12 years after Annlies Smidt!
The recording.
Original copies of the vinyl release of this recording seem to fetch high prices between £300 and £400! This CD is a remastered recording and I have to say is of very high quality with good clear smooth sound throughout the range. It is on the dry side with no strong venue characteristics being audible. Of interest is the use of three different cellos as outlined above. No specific reason is given in the notes other than the suggestion that the listener may find it rewarding to note the differing sound quality of the three instruments.
I never find it that easy to identify characteristics of different instruments on recordings especially when used for varied pieces of music. My thoughts were that the Guarnieri sounded particularly sweet, clean and clear in the major Suites, whilst the Testore sounded more full of body and mellow in the minor Suites. I thought the Sandner sounded a bit coarser and possibly less articulate in the third and fourth suites.
The music.
Overall, I found this recording very pleasing particularly those with the Guarnieri cello. The sound was very pure and to my ears intonation is spot on. The rapid passages are very well articulated, and cross string passages particularly in the first and sixth Preludes are very evenly executed. This is no mean feat considering in the first Prelude the passages are played legato with little separate bowing. The phrasing gives the music a very well crafted character with great refinement and without exaggeration. Having said that there is not a lot of variation in dynamics. An exception tends to be in the tendency to contrast the two dances in the fifth movement of each Suite.
The style of playing is firmly Romantic. There is plenty of vibrato albeit rapid and not intrusive. There are long sustained phrases. When it comes to the Courantes and Gigues these are very well articulated however and display some of the neatest playing I have heard. This was particularly so in the sixth Suite Courante and final Gigue.
I rather wish I had not read the leaflet first as the least satisfying movements were the two with the Sandner cello. This may be my unconscious bias at work or a genuine impression of a less fluid and articulate sound with more overtones. The neat cross string work previously noted was less evident in the third Suite.
Conclusion.
This is definitely a product of its era (early 70s) but with all the best bits and less of the overblown tone and coarse vibrato sometimes used. If you are considering obtaining a copy, do be clear as to which recording you are purchasing as I note in Music Discography that the two are mixed together. Gramophone found the later recording to have dubious intonation and the interpretation to be “dull”.
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/bach-solo-cello-suites-3
Charles.