b'Bachs original manuscript has been lost, but the suites have come down to us thanks to a copy made by his second wife, Anna Magdalena. The cello suites and the six Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin are thought to have been composed between 1717 and 1723, when Bach was working as kappelmeister for Prince Leopold in Kthen. While there already existed a substantial repertoire for solo violin, Bachs set of solo suites for cello was really the first of its kind for the instrument. Suite No. 1 in G Major is a joyful work, with only the second minuet offering a minor key contrast to the rich warmth of the home key. G major is wonderful for the cello, making full use of the resonance of the instruments open strings. Part of the richness of Bachs compositional approach is his ability to imply several different voices, even within a single melodic line. The bass line is subtly present outlining the structure of the harmonies and the rhythm of the dance, and through the use of multiple registers, Bach is able to differentiate other voices. Each movement of the suite is structured in two repeated sections, offering the performer the opportunity to vary his interpretation the second time. In the slow Sarabande, this includes the addition of lovely ornaments in the spirit of an improvisation. Dmitri ShostakovichBorn September 25, 1906, St PetersburgDied August 9, 1975, MoscowChamber Symphony in C Minor, Op 110a(arr. Rudolf Barshai)Composed 1960 during a July visit to DresdenPremiere 1960LeningradInstrumentation StringsDuration 20 minutesJust as Bachs Six Suites for Solo Cello stand as a fundamental pillar of the cello repertoire, Shostakovichs Fifteen String Quartets make their own monumental contribution to the string quartet repertoire. Shostakovich princetonsymphony.org/ 13'