2010
BACH
SIX SUITES
FOR UNACCOMPANIED CELLO,
on 4 different cellos
Buy a MP3 Album
Buy a Physical 4-CD Set
This unique recording of all six of J.S. Bach's Cello Suites sets side by side the different sounds of historic and new instruments and compares their strengths and weaknesses.
Bach’s Cello Suites have been recorded on modern instruments, baroque cellos and even on guitar, viola da gamba, saxophone and marimba, but never before has one musician assembled a recording that showcases these suites using four very different cellos.
Playing Bach
Five of the six suites in this recording are played on three cellos:
a contemporary but antique cello built ca. 1870 in Mirecourt, France, for the 1st and 4th suites
a baroque cello, much like a cello that would have been used in Bach’s time for the 2nd and 5th suites
a hyper-modern carbon fibre cello for the 3rd suite
The 6th suite is played on a custom built 5 string violoncello piccolo, another baroque instrument, arguably much like it might have been played in Bach’s time.
Making a knot in a "E" string of the Violoncello Piccolo
To give the listener the opportunity to compare the instruments, the 5th suite is played three times: on the Baroque cello within the sequence of suites, and again on the Mirecourt cello and on the Carbon Fibre cello on the fourth CD.
Video "the making of the Bach Suites".
An intimate view of the recording process.
Blue By Four
2009
STRATHCONA STRING QUARTET
BLUE BY FOUR
Jennifer Bustin, violin
George Andrix, violin
Moni Mathew, viola
Josephine van Lier, Cello
Edmonton’s acclaimed Strathcona String Quartet launched its new CD “Blue by Four” at a festive CD release concert in January 2009 at the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton.
At the recording of "Blue by Four"
The CD features jazz arrangements and original jazz compositions by celebrated Edmonton violinist, violist and composer George Andrix.
On about half the works, the quartet is joined by Edmonton jazz greats Joel Gray on Trumpet and John Taylor on Bass.
The unique sound of a classical string quartet playing jazz music, the addition of superb jazz musicians and the genius writing by composer/arranger George Andrix gives this CD an eclectic sound that is seldom heard and will appeal to classical and jazz music fans alike.
The Strathcona String Quartet released its first CD, “George Andrix String Quartet Works” in 2004.
The CD gets frequent airtime on CBC, CKUA and CKER and received a rave review: “intriguing, lovely and satisfying” (Richard Todd, Opus Pocus, the Magic of Music). For the complete review, please go to: http://opuspocus.ca/reviews/cd/ARktos200478.htm.
