Eric Siblin - The Cello Suites
Along with my passion for early music is an enjoyment and love of music written for my favourite instrument the violencello. Often shortened to Cello, I would ride through storm and tempest to attend performances played by such renowned modern cellists Steven Isserlis and Peter Wispelway, especially when they perform with the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
The Cello Suites J.S.Bach, Pablo Casals and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece is an extraordinary tale, beautifully crafted and terrifically told of an epic quest recently undertaken by Canadian rock critic Eric Siblin. He had an epiphany of sorts when he attended a recital of JS Bach’s six Cello Suites, falling completely under the spell of this musical masterpiece. He decided to go on his own journey to learn all about the works and their composer and record his findings.
By all accounts he certainly got more than he bargained for. Along the way he unravels three centuries of mystery, intrigue, history, politics and passion and his compelling work is part biography, part music history, and part literary mystery as it follows three diverse trails on an ever evolving story.
The first is a dramatic narrative featuring eighteenth century composer Johann Sebastian Bach and his missing manuscript; the second traces the journey of Spanish musician Pablo Casals and his rise to fame playing the suites; and the third is Eric Siblin’s own discovery of, and infatuation with the transcandental quality of the music itself. “It was a powerful experience for me,” he said. “It was like being struck by lightning in a musical way.”
His journey takes him from the back streets of Barcelona to a Belgian mansion, and bombed-out German palace. He has interviews with renowned modern day cellists Mischa Maisky, Anner Bylsma, and Pieter Wispelwey. He digs into archives, follow festivals, attends conferences, and investigates certain cemeteries. He also takes cello lessons himself all in pursuit of uncovering the mysteries that continue to haunt this piece of music more than 250 years after the composer’s death.
He turned up some fascinating details about Bach….”His life wasn’t as deadly dull as most people imagine it to be” said Siblin in a recent interview about the book being nominated for the Canadian Governor General’s Award and it is also in contention for the B.C. National Award for Non-Fiction and prizes from the Writers’ Trust and the Quebec Writers’ Federation. The Cello Suites is magnificent – a must for someone on everyone’s Christmas List.
Carolyn McDowall November 2009
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