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.
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My Piano and Guitar Books

I have published five books of piano music. They are available as printed and bound books through Amazon.

Each book has 10 to 13 original pieces or arrangements and each book is geared towards a specific ability level (beginner, intermediate, and late intermediate).

Book 1 titles: Jase’s Song, Olivia’s Song, Summer Memories, All in a Garden Green, Largo from Concerto in D Major, Drunken Sailor, Avondale, Snowfall, The Skye Boat Song, Ballyshannon, When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Bonny Kate

Book 2 titles: Annie Laurie, Flow Gently, Sweet Afton, Rain Drops, Autumn Waltz, Clouds and Sunshine, Admiral Gambier's Waltz, Follow Me Down to Carlow, Alice's Song, Down by the Sally Gardens, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose

Book 3 titles: Avery's Song, Morning Has Broken, Winter: Largo from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Day by Day, Be Still My Soul, Now Thank We All Our God, A Prelude in B Minor, A Chromatic Boogie, Stormy Sky, Celtic Reflections, Greensleeves, Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming, Wings of the Morning

Piano Seasons: 12 piano solos for the intermediate piano player. Selections from different seasons of the year. Titles include: Apples in Winter, Cold Frosty Morning, Like a River Glorious, Savannah's Song, Castle Donovan, At the Fair, Oranges and Lemons, Dancing Leaves, Der Mond Ist Aufgegangen (The Moon Has Risen), Leise Rieselt Der Schnee (The Snow Falls Softly), O Du Frohliche, and The Wexford Carol.

Piano Escapades Book 1: 13 Elementary Piano Solos.

Titles: Blue Bells of Scotland, Rainy Day, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Bison Stomp, The Boar Head's Carol, Flight, The Water is Wide, Christmas Lights, Early One Morning, Largo from Concerto in D Major by Antonio Vivaldi, Green Leaves, Sakura Sakura, The Parting Glass.

I also have published one book of guitar music.

Acoustic Guitar Adventures: 9 Beginner Guitar Solos.

Titles: Minuet in G Major (from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach), Sonatina in C by Muzio Clementi, Guitar Etude in E Minor, My Grandfather’s Clock, Silent Night for Guitar, Minuet (from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach), Cantabile from Vivaldi's "Il Gardellino”, Ständchen from Schubert's Schwangesang for Guitar, and Early One Morning (for flute and guitar)

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Now Looking for ... Guest Bloggers!

Do you have a passion for teaching music? Are you eager to share your unique insights and perspectives with a wider audience? I’m seeking talented and engaging guest bloggers to contribute to Laura’s Music Studio. If you're an expert in your field, a skilled writer, and excited to connect with our community, I invite you to submit a guest post proposal. Here is a platform to showcase your expertise, build your online presence, and contribute to valuable discussions within music education.

How do you get started?
I'm looking for blog posts relating to music education, piano lessons, guitar lessons, and studio management. 
Each blog post should include the following:
- a well-written post about a topic in one of the four categories listed above
- about 200-300 words

To submit your post, you can email me at pianolessonsmn dot gmail dot com.
I do reserve the right to choose whether to post your submission or not.  You will be notified of my decision and, if it will be posted, also of when your post will be up on my blog.

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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.