“Sweet Suites” is a high-octane riff on fragments from J.S. Bach’s cello suites. At the core of the work is an explosive take on the prelude to the sixth suite, obsessively driving forward with unrelenting double stops, accents, and punctuating harmonics.
The electrifying transformation of the source material feels like Bach being ripped into the modern age, with added verve, sparkle, and harmonic intensity. After a whirlwind trip through fragments of Bach’s third and second cello suites, the material begins to break down into roaring diads, the dynamic force of the work winning out over the Bach fragments. The work then collapses into a delicate and nostalgic atmosphere, almost jazz like, as if reflecting on the timeless nature of Bach’s music.
Jordan Bartow, cellist