Weilerstein makes Bach Cello Suites a performance for the ages

Weilerstein called back to the stage a fourth or fifth time

In the three hundred years since J. S. Bach wrote his Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello, no other composer has come close to writing solo music for the cello that can rival what the Baroque genius did. That towering accomplishment was put on display by Alisa Weilerstein, one of the great cellists of our time, in a recital presented by Chamber Music Northwest on Saturday, February 3rd, at First Baptist Church. Weilerstein gave an unbelievably incisive and heartfelt performance of all six suites, sweeping the standing-room-only audience off its collective feet.

In his introductory remarks, CMNW’s co-artistic director, Soovin Kim, mentioned that the performance was originally scheduled to take place two years ago. But the pandemic and the birth of Weilerstein’s baby interrupted those plans.

In my preview of this concert, published in The Oregonian, Weilerstein described the Bach suites as a journey through life. “The first suite is childhood. It is very pure, innocent, and optimistic. The second is adolescence – full of angst and darkness – kind of a tortured character and very volatile as well. The third suite evokes ones prime. It is very regal and confident. It has the optimism of a young adult ready to take on the world. The fourth suite is mid-life – more wondering and complex. This is where things take a turn and get more interesting and complicated. The fifth suite is tragic, desolate, devastated, lonely, isolation. The sixth suite is by far the longest – almost twice the length of the first suite – it expresses experience, learned wisdom.”

Her description of the suites was absolutely spot on. But even if you followed the music, which absorbed just over three hours (including a 30-minute intermission), in such an encompassing emotional arc, it was just flat-out incredible to witness Weilerstein’s artistry and technical wizardry plus the fact that she had memorized a hell of a lot of notes.

Each suite had a similar pattern, opening with a prelude, followed by dances – combinations of allemande, courante, sarabande, menuet, bourée, and gavotte – and always ending with a gigue. Bach didn’t give any tempos or dynamics. So each time they are played, you will hear a completely unique performance.

Weilerstein brought out the rich complexity of the music, as if it were a kind of sonic tapestry. I loved the first suite for the way that it alternated between playful and soothing passages. Weilerstein gave it a bright ending, but it wasn’t too bright. A part of the second suite offered long, drawn-out chords that seemed to be questioning, and it an agitated section that was not overwrought. The third suite seemed to probe dark and lighter characters in a direct way, ending with phrases that sounded almost like a folk tune. The fourth suite was highlighted by immaculate runs, lovely trills, and passages that suggested the image of taffy being pulled. A more serious and at times, argumentative flavor marked the fifth suite, and at one point Weilerstein pulled back a line so that it became soft and then deliciously super-soft. The sixth suite travelled all over the place – with sudden dives to the lowest notes and some really gnarly fingerings – the result of which was stunning – as if placing you on a new vista

Throughout the first three suites, Weilerstein used almost no vibrato. For the last three, she gradually introduced a little bit of vibrato but that was it. She created a myriad of sounds from tender to demonstrative, from languid to energetic, from lonely to optimistically exuberant.

At the conculsion, the audience erupted with wild applause and cheers that went on and on. It looked like at least fifty people lined up to get her autograph on the program afterwards.

Weilerstein's superb performance was life-enhancing. If you get to chance to hear her play Bach suites, don’t miss out – you will not regret it.