• New Music - Plucked Bach by Alon Sariel

    Plucked Bach by Alon Sariel

    BAARN, THE NETHERLANDS — Pentatone Music and Alon Sariel have announced a June 24 digital release for Plucked Bach, an exploration of Bach's cello suites performed on mandolin, arch-lute, chitarra Spagnola, liuto attiorbato and oud, concluding with Sariel's own Bach-inspired Mandolin Partita.

    "The use of so many instruments, the fact it's my first real solo album and my debut as a composer, all makes this recording certainly the most personal and meaningful that I've released so far," Sariel said.

    Bach's suites are often considered to be "the cellist's Bible," but the transferability of his music between instruments, a practice to which the composer himself also contributed frequently, seems to justify this fresh approach.

    Track Listing

    Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011
    • I. Prelude (cremonese mandolin)

    Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007 (archlute)
    • I. Prelude
    • II. Allemande
    • III. Courante
    • IV. Sarabande
    • V. Menuets I & II
    • VI. Gigue

    Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012
    • V. Gavottes I & II (baroque guitar)

    Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008 (liuto attiorbato)
    • I. Prelude
    • II. Allemande
    • III. Courante
    • IV. Sarabande
    • V. Menuets I & II
    • VI. Gigue
    • VII. Sarabande (oud)

    Alon Sariel (b. 1986) Mandolin Partita (neapolitan mandolin)
    • I. Prelude
    • II. Allemande
    • III. Courante
    • IV. Sarabande
    • V. Menuets I & II
    • VI. Gigue



    Additional Information

    Comments 8 Comments
    1. HonketyHank's Avatar
      HonketyHank -
      Is that a theorbo in the first of the three pieces in the trailer? Gotta have one.
    1. SF_Green's Avatar
      SF_Green -
      Hi Hank,
      I was looking at the album site on Pentatone and the instruments are listed with the tracks. According to the Pentatone site, that is an archlute on the Bach Cello Suite No. 1.

      Plucked Back - Alon Sariel

      D'Oh, I missed it! It's also listed above!
    1. HonketyHank's Avatar
      HonketyHank -
      OK. I guess that means the theorbo is even longer necked. Kinda like a Pete Seeger archlute.
    1. Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
      Mandolin Cafe -
      This is a stunning album. His feel for Bach is clearly more expressive and advanced to this ear of what gets recorded on mandolin. Played like the best of the best of classical music, not a fiddle tune (like I sound when I play Bach, not a criticism of anyone in particular, although...). Sorry there isn't more information. I messaged the label Saturday asking for input, still haven't heard back. Always possible it went to a spam folder. And, another Arik Kerman mandolin owner.
    1. DougC's Avatar
      DougC -
      I think what he's calling an arched lute, is an oud of some kind. It's a pretty cool sound for shaping thoes notes!

      (I could do without the fake water sounds however.)

      Alon is indeed a great musician and this is a stunning album indeed.
    1. Dagger Gordon's Avatar
      Dagger Gordon -
      His Telemann album is really great.
    1. Mandolin Cafe's Avatar
      Mandolin Cafe -
      This album has been released today.
    1. twanger's Avatar
      twanger -
      Great playing. I have no German but here's a video I stumbled across of him on NDR. https://www.ndr.de/kultur/musik/klas...sariel100.html