Bach: Suites for Solo Cello Philip Higham

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007:
• 1 Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007: I. Prelude 02:44
• 2 Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007: II. Allemande 03:53
• 3 Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007: III. Courante 02:39
• 4 Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007: IV. Sarabande 02:34
• 5 Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007: V. Menuet I – Menuet II 03:12
• 6 Suite No. 1 in G Major BWV 1007: VI. Gigue 01:47
• Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008:
• 7 Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008: I. Prelude 03:49
• 8 Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008: II. Allemande 03:25
• 9 Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008: III. Courante 01:51
• 10 Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008: IV. Sarabande 04:13
• 11 Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008: V. Menuet I – Menuet II 03:01
• 12 Suite No. 2 in D Minor BWV 1008: VI. Gigue 02:37
• Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009:
• 13 Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009: I. Prelude 02:39
• 14 Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009: II. Allemande 03:29
• 15 Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009: III. Courante 03:01
• 16 Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009: IV. Sarabande 03:47
• 17 Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009: V. Bourrée I – Bourrée II 03:21
• 18 Suite No. 3 in C Major BWV 1009: VI. Gigue 03:01
• Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010:
• 19 Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010: I. Prelude 04:06
• 20 Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010: II. Allemande 04:26
• 21 Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010: III. Courante 03:20
• 22 Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010: IV. Sarabande 03:58
• 23 Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010: V. Bourrée I – Bourrée II 04:34
• 24 Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major BWV 1010: VI. Gigue 03:02
• Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011:
• 25 Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011: I. Prelude 05:48
• 26 Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011: II. Allemande 05:30
• 27 Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011: III. Courante 02:06
• 28 Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011: IV. Sarabande 02:54
• 29 Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011: V. Gavotte I – Gavotte II 04:52
• 30 Suite No. 5 in C Minor BWV 1011: VI. Gigue 02:11
• Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012:
• 31 Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012: I. Prelude 04:44
• 32 Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012: II. Allemande 07:37
• 33 Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012: III. Courante 03:35
• 34 Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012: IV. Sarabande 04:49
• 35 Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012: V. Gavotte I – Gavotte II 03:40
• 36 Suite No. 6 in D Major BWV 1012: VI. Gigue 04:02
• Total Runtime 02:10:17

Info for Bach: Suites for Solo Cello

Philip Higham's debut recording, a disc of Benjamin Britten's three solo suites, won acclaim across the board, including Disc of the Month accolades from both Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine. He has chosen to follow it directly with the Bach suites which were Britten's inspiration, and which remain pinnacles of the repertoire for any cellist. Higham has returned to Anna Magdalena Bach's manuscript copy of the works, recently the object of some controversy. For Higham, however, the manuscript is a provocation not to speculation over authorship but to interpretations at once broadly and deeply conceived. Not afraid to question received wisdom, Higham's thoughtful yet daring approach also leads him to combine elements of period and modern style both in his playing and in his choice of instruments – a 1697 cello for the first five suites and a 2013 five-string instrument to bring out the extraordinary range of colours with which Bach invested the crowning Sixth.

"Higham plays his usual warm and fulsome Testore for Suites Nos. 1 to 5 but swaps to a clean and crisp modern five-string Roth cello for the filigree Sixth Suite. It is hard to imagine how Higham could have done better than choose these very different instruments to elicit the combinations of tone and colour that he is able to achieve across the Suites." (Gramophone Magazine)

"What’s most impressive about these compelling readings is that Higham avoids the romanticist’s self-indulgently furrowed brow without sacrificing intensity." (Sunday Times)

"There’s a beautifully meditative quality to these performances of Bach’s solo cello Suites by Philip Higham that is both soothing and questioning … the entire set displays a seamless flow of invention that takes us from the pragmatic virtuosity of the 1st to the heart-tugging emotion of the 6th as if on a life’s journey. Higham’s use of a 5-string instrument in the latter endows the finale of this 2-CD set with a prophetic, luminescent glow" (The Scotsman)

Philip Higham, cello

Philip Higham
Born in Edinburgh, Philip studied with Ruth Beauchamp at St Mary's Music School and subsequently at the RNCM with Emma Ferrand and Ralph Kirshbaum. He also enjoyed mentoring from Steven Isserlis. In 2008 he became the first UK cellist to win 1st Prize in the Bach Leipzig competition, and followed it with major prizes in 2009 Lutoslawski Competition, and the 2010 Grand Prix Emmanuel Feuermann in Berlin. He was selected for representation by Young Classical Artist Trust between 2009 and 2014.

He has appeared as soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Hallé Orchestra (broadcast by BBC Radio 3), the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. He has given recitals at the Wigmore Hall, Brighton Festival and Lichfield Festival, and further afield in Germany, Istanbul and Washington DC. In 2014 he performed the complete Bach Suites in Tokyo at the Musashino Cultural Foundation, and again at Wigmore Hall in 2017.

Philip has been described as ‘possessing that rare combination of refined technique with subtle and expressive musicianship… all the qualities of a world-class artist’ (The Strad), and has been praised for his ‘expansive but tender playing’ (Gramophone). His debut recording of the Britten Solo Suites (Delphian, 2013) was named instrumental disc of the month in both Gramophone and BBC Music magazines. He has also recently released the complete Bach Suites, to critical acclaim.

Philip was appointed Principal Cello of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 2016. He plays a fine Milanese cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore, made in 1697, and is grateful for continued support from Harriet's Trust.

This album contains no booklet.