Auckland School of Music
Review: Tara Werner
It is quite rare to hear a musician of Susan Sheppard's calibre in Auckland. One of the pioneering instrumentalists of the early music revival, this professor of baroque cello at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London is an expert on Bach.
She can certainly make the composer's solo cello suites almost dance off the page, so in tune is she with his intentions.
As artist in residence at the School of Music she is tackling all six suites in the order they were written, on instruments familiar in Bach's time.
In the Tuesday concert she played Nos 3 and 4. And what a revelation they were. Despite struggling with the humidity her performance was flawless.
It takes a brave soul to play these incredibly difficult pieces, which need an excellent technique. Even a great cellist such as Pablo Casals regarded them with awe and deference.
It was clear that, like her famous predecessor, Sheppard has made a thorough study of every note since all the harmonic nuances were lovingly high-lighted.
Take the opening preludes of both suites, written in an improvisatory style that belies their complexity.
While the start of Suite No 4 is reflective and contained, the prelude in the third has difficult passages that make it a textbook of cello technique - everything from chords, scales and double trills to every variety of bowing.
Meanwhile, the courantes in both suites almost scampered along exuberantly and the sarabandes positively sang.
In his interesting pre-concert talk on the baroque cello, organist and early music expert James Tibbles mentioned that listening to period instruments needs an "authentic ear."
This performance was surely as authentic as anyone could get.
Sheppard is playing Suites 5 and 6 tonight, the latter on the five-string baroque cello, which can reach the high notes Bach demands.
Be prepared for another concert of outstanding virtuosity.
Performance: Susan Sheppard
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