The Cello Suites - Reading Together - Suite No. 2

Welcome to the second post discussing The Cello Suites by Eric Siblin. I found it interesting how Siblin contrasts the "sunshine" of the First Suite with the "shadows" of the Second, and that he suggests that the D minor key of Suite No. 2 acts as a musical tomb for Bach's first wife, Maria Barbara.

Another point that I found intriguing was that by writing these suites, Bach was essentially a pioneer, treating the cello like a "baritone master" capable of carrying a melody and a harmony simultaneously. This "elevation" of the instrument mirrors Casals’ own lifelong mission to prove the cello’s worth to the world.

If you want to dive deeper into Suite No. 2 with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- The Historical "Tobacco-Colored" Sound: Pablo Casals: Siblin focuses heavily on the "aura" of this specific recording. It sounds "crackly" and old, which adds to the sense of historical mystery. Play the Sarabande. Ask students to describe the "weight" of the sound. Does it sound like someone mourning? Compare this to a modern, cleaner version to discuss how technology and time change our perception of art.
- Comparing the "Second Hand" Manuscript: IMSLP: This is the primary source Siblin mentions. Since Bach’s original is lost, this copy by his wife is the closest we have. Show the PDF on the board. Point out the lack of "road signs"—there are no instructions for how fast or loud to play. Ask students: "If you were the cellist, how would you know where the 'sad' parts are if the author didn't tell you?"
- Yo-Yo Ma: "We live in a time that feels fractured, and Bach is a unifying factor": Yo-Yo Ma explains the physical demands of the suites and how Bach treated the cello as a "multi-voiced" instrument.
- The "Benjamin Zander" Interpretive Masterclass: Ben Zander is a world-renowned conductor known for his "TED-talk style" breakdowns of music. In this video lesson, he explains the "architecture" of the D Minor Prelude.
- "Fugue for Thought" Narrative Guide: This blog provides a "layman’s" narrative of the entire suite. It avoids overly dense jargon and uses evocative language like "stormy," "melancholy," and "shadowy." Have students read the description of the Courante (the "angry, stormier affair"). Ask students to find three adjectives the author uses to describe the music and compare them to the adjectives Siblin uses in Chapter 2.

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The Cello Suites - Reading Together - Suite No. 1

Welcome to the first post discussing The Cello Suites by Eric Siblin. I’m intrigued by the structure that Siblin employs to explore Bach’s cello suites. Siblin weaves together three centuries: Bach’s experience in the 1700s, Pablo Casals’ 1890 discovery of the "tobacco-colored" scores in Barcelona, and Siblin’s own modern-day obsession. By mirroring the six-movement structure of a classical suite, the prose actually "performs" the music it describes.

Through the lens of a fan's "magnificent obsession," Chapter 1 transforms the cello from a lowly background instrument into a vessel for universal human emotion. It’s a detective story, a biography, and a memoir all tuned to the vibrant, optimistic key of G Major.

If you want to dive deeper into Suite No. 1 with your students, here are some resources to do that.

- All of Bach - Suite No. 1: It includes a "behind the music" video where the musician discusses the "apparent inconsistency" of the manuscripts and the emotional transparency of the G major key. It’s perfect for visual learners and for showing the "detective work" involved in interpreting old texts.
- Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance Teaching Plan: While designed for music students, its sections on "Expression" and "Analysis" are excellent for cross-curricular teaching. It discusses how Bach uses "compositional secrets" to create tension and release, very similar to how you might analyze narrative tension in a novel.
- The Strad: "Four Insights on the Prelude": It provides high-level "literary" descriptions of the music. For instance, Antoine Tamestit describes the G-Major tonality as the color blue, suggesting "hope" and "fluidity." This is a great resource for a creative writing exercise or a lesson on mood and tone.
- "The Bach Cello Suite No. 1 Study Book" by Cassia Harvey: It breaks the piece down into "digestible exercises." In a classroom setting, you can use these excerpts to show how a complex masterpiece is actually a collection of small, repeating patterns, much like motifs in a poem.
- Inbal Segev’s Masterclass Series (YouTube): Her "Musings with Inbal" series treats the music as a conversation. She discusses the harmonic structure and the history of the manuscripts (including Anna Magdalena Bach). These videos are short and "snackable," making them ideal for bell-ringer activities or 15-minute lesson segments.

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
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The Cello Suites - Reading Together

Welcome to the newest Reading Together series. I'll be posting a summary about our reading each week on Tuesdays. Come join us!

We'll be reading The Cello Suites by Eric Siblin. You can get a copy from your local library, or pick up a copy from Bookshop.

We'll read one chapter a week.
I'll post about the first installment on Tuesday, February 10. That means you have one week to get a copy of the book and to read the first chapter.

The great thing about this program is that it allows us to read works together that can help us in our professional development, as well as providing a level of accountability and the added interest of comparing notes as we read together.

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I've published five piano music books and one guitar music book. Get them here.
Sign up here for my free monthly newsletter! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.