Inbal Segev Bach Cello Suites Vox Classics VXP7911. Released 2015.
Recorded 2014 -2015 at the Academy of Arts and letter in New York.
Cello played ? Francesco Ruggieri in 1673 (no details supplied but this is current instrument).
The Cellist.
Inbal Segev is an Israeli American cellist who has risen to pre-eminence as much for her promotion of new compositions as recordings of mainstream cello repertoire.
She perhaps exemplifies the modern approach to solo performance by releasing this recording of the Suites together with a very comprehensive and informative web site, and a You Tube site mainly populated by master class sessions covering general technique and specific movements of the Suites. I note from the web site that she also offers her services for an event involving talk, discussion and playing live. This covers the Bach Cello Suites and her journey made to the recording and beyond. Segev has even made available for download annotated versions of the Anna Magdalena manuscript from which she has played and based her recording. So here we get THE complete package!
The Recording.
Despite the reference to the Anna Magdalena manuscript, this recording is essentially a modern rendering. Witness, restrained vibrato, what I presume to be a modern set up with steel strings etc and a fairly romantic interpretation. However, this does seem inter-dispersed with more baroque style fast movements at times.
Technical bits.
This recording definitely benefits from highly professional recording, so credit to Da-Hong Seetoo who produced engineered and mastered the work. The cello tone is captured in all its glory without too much echo and in fact I found the acoustics impacted very little on my appreciation of the recording which in the end is how it should be!
The Interpretation
What then of the interpretation? I am going to go through the Suites in order rather than as on the CDs which is the not unusual 1,3,5,2,4,6
Suite One.
The first Suite starts with a rather tentative sounding Prelude, played in legato style and with very relaxed tone. It does have the air of someone going for a steady afternoon walk with slowing and quickening rather sporadic as if pausing briefly to examine something of interest. This same feel continues into the Allemande. The phrasing is attractive but I had a sense it was random and did not have balance as with the best HIP performances with a steady rise and fall which generates a pulse and sense of direction. The Courante is lively but not as light as perhaps needed for a movement depicting a running dance. The Sarabande and Minuets were imbued with a lovely smooth tone and turn of phrase but perhaps dragged a little. The Gigue again felt a little too heavy as if the dancers were wearing clogs!
Suite Two.
The second Suite has a very different mood being sombre and bleak as befits the minor key. I can’t recollect a rendition quite as dark sounding, before. Superb! The Allemande by contrast although still in minor key is uplifting!
The Courante takes us up another level, exciting and invigorating. There is real sense of drive and purpose, before we are taken down into the murky mist of the Sarabande. Its then back up through the Minuets to the Gigue. Again the faster parts could be a little lighter and more “spiky”.
Suite Three.
The third Suite Prelude starts with a suitably grand opening and then becomes more subdued with again that sense of wandering (not wondering) feel. The Allemande has refined phrasing but with “full fat” tone which seems to detract a little. The Courante is brisk and with a middle section utilising a lighter tone which instils a sense of urgency. The Sarabande flows nicely with chords taken in the performer’s stride and avoiding the stop/start feel of many recordings.
The Bourees and the Gigue are played with vim and in a swashbuckling style but just lack the balance swing and tension that would convey the dance origin of these movements.
Suite Four.
The fourth Suite Prelude does sound laboured, the Allemande less so, but the Courante has more life and mirrors the Prelude chord progressions well. The Bourees sounded suitably rustic and the Gigue had my foot tapping for the first time.
Suite Five.
The fifth Suite starts impressively with the full bodied tone well suited to the grand but sombre introduction. The fugal section starts quietly and lightly and builds up well to a climatic end. The Allemande keeps interest with a very snappy rhythm from very short semiquavers and demi-semiquavers after dotted crotchets. The Courante seems to benefit from the full tone that Segev delivers with its chords and lower register notation.
I particularly liked the Sarabande with its bleakness emphasised and the smooth legato playing keeping the flow throughout. The two Gavottes compliment each other well, the first being full bodied and stirring, the second much more ethereal and wispy in sound. The Gigue follows the snappy rhythm of the Allemande but is hampered by a slightly overblown tone.
Suite Six
In the sixth Suite Prelude, Segev’s full bodied tone comes into its element with a rendition that I’m sure would have the HIP community shuddering and running to protect their five string cello piccolos.
But historical considerations aside it is great to hear such a strong rendition of this fabulous music. I particularly like the echoes in the early middle section and re iterated towards the end.
The melancholic mood of the Allemande is portrayed very well and impresses but no feel of dance or graceful rhythmic movement. The Courante is executed at great speed and with accuracy. Exciting stuff!. The Sarabande is smooth and gentle with periods of repose and reflection which is a welcome contrast to the Courante. The Gavottes build well to the climactic Gigue which I feel might have had even more impact with a little holding back before the last repeated section. I was left just wanting a little more.
Conclusion.
So overall this recording and performance seems to be all about the tone. There is no doubt that Segev can produce a fantastic sound and that is well used in her recent CD of the Anna Clyne DANCE coupled with Elgar’s Cello concerto. However, in a number of movements failure to restrain or even use another “voice”, for me, prevents an unqualified recommendation. I suspect there are many who would strongly favour this recording especially those who admire Maisky and Starker.
Charles