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Kim Kashkashian

JS Bach: Six Suites For Viola Solo BWV 1007-1012

ECM

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Walking to Bach with Kim Kashkashian

Tour Dates

09/27/2018 - A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall / Greenville, NC
09/28/2018 - A.J. Fletcher Recital Hall / Greenville, NC
09/30/2018 - Hayes Barton UMC / Raleigh, NC
10/21/2018 - New England Conservatory / Boston, MA
10/25/2018 - Festival Internacional de Musica de Esmeraldas / Quito, Esmeraldas
10/26/2018 - Festival Internacional de Musica de Esmeraldas / Quito, Esmeraldas
10/27/2018 - Festival Internacional de Musica de Esmeraldas / Quito, Esmeraldas
10/28/2018 - Festival Internacional de Musica de Esmeraldas / Quito, Esmeraldas
11/05/2018 - First Monday at Jordan Hall / Boston, MA
11/22/2018 - International Viola Congress / Rotterdam, Netherlands
11/23/2018 - International Viola Congress / Rotterdam, Netherlands
12/03/2018 - First Monday at Jordan Hall / Boston, MA
12/12/2018 - American Academy of Arts and Sciences / Boston, MA
12/16/2018 - New England Conservatory / Boston, MA
01/13/2019 - Perelman Theater / Philadelphia, PA
01/18/2019 - White Rock Baptist Church / White Rock, Vancouver
01/24/2019 - Hancher Auditorium / Iowa City, IA
01/27/2019 - Herbert Zipper Concert Hall / Los Angeles, LA
02/03/2019 - New England Conservatory / Boston, MA
03/01/2019 - Brattleboro Music Center / Brattleboro, VT
03/05/2019 - Fondation Arta Musica / Montreal, QC
03/08/2019 - Ames City Auditorium / Ames, IA
03/10/2019 - Morrison Artist Series / San Francisco, CA
04/07/2019 - New England Conservatory / Boston, MA
1 Prelude  
2 Allemande  
3 Courante  
4 Sarabande  
5 Menuet I / II  
6 Gigue  
7 Prelude  
8 Allemande  
9 Courante  
10 Sarabande  
11 Menuet I / II  
12 Gigue  
13 Prelude  
14 Allemande  
15 Courante  
16 Sarabande  
17 Gavotte I / II  
18 Gigue  
19 Prelude  
20 Allemande  
21 Courante  
22 Sarabande  
23 Bourree I / II  
24 Gigue  
25 Prelude  
26 Allemande  
27 Courante  
28 Sarabande  
29 Bourree I / II  
30 Gigue  
31 Prelude  
32 Allemande  
33 Courante  
34 Sarabande  
35 Gavotte I / II  
36 Gigue  
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Here are Bach's six cello suites, played on the viola by one of the instrument's greatest exponents, Kim Kashkashian. The suites were once described by Pablo Casals as "the very essence of Bach…a whole radiance of space and poetry pours forth from them."  These qualities are in abundance in the present version, recorded at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York in November and December 2016, and February 2017.

Bach composed the suites around 1720 when he was in the employ of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen.  The autograph manuscript is no longer extant, and the earliest known copies date from 1726 and 1730, the latter made by Anna Magdalena Bach.  Bach himself made a transcription of an arrangement of Suite V for lute, however, which has survived. Differences in articulation between the versions invite a certain expressive liberty. There has also, in recent years, been speculation about the instrument for which Bach wrote the music: was it the violoncello as we know it today, or was it the violoncello da spalla, the small cello played braced against the shoulder?  Were the suites played on the viola in Bach's lifetime Perhaps. Bach's fondness for the viola is documented; he liked to play it in chamber music and also directed cantatas from the viola.

  • The Violin Channel Q&A's with Kim Kashkashian on the 'Music for Food' concert series
    Posted At: January 26, 2021 12:00 AM

    The Violin Channel recently caught up with Grammy Award-winning violist and pedagogue, Kim Kashkashian, on her concert series "Music for Food" - a musician led initiative for local hunger relief.  The "Music for Food" events are donation–based fundraising concerts, where the presenters and artists pledge to give all proceeds and fees to local food banks and pantries. The initiative was inspire...
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  • Kim Kashkashian discusses the Bach six cello suites played on the viola, with WQED: Pittsburgh
    Posted At: March 26, 2019 12:00 AM

    Here are Bach's six cello suites, played on the viola by one of the instrument's greatest exponents, Kim Kashkashian. The suites were once described by Pablo Casals as "the very essence of Bach…a whole radiance of space and poetry pours forth from them."  These qualities are in abundance in the present version, recorded at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York in Novemb...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Kim Kashkashian interviews with NetNebraska
    Posted At: March 14, 2019 12:00 AM

    Internationally recognized violist; Kim Kashkashian has just released a new recording of Bach's six cello suites for ECM. The suites were once described by Pablo Casals as "the very essence of Bach…a whole radiance of space and poetry pours forth from them, and here played on the viola by one of the instrument's greatest exponents, these qualities are in abundance. The album was recor...
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  • Kim Kashkashian Bach: Six Suites For Viola Solo is the WFMT: Featured New Release
    Posted At: February 5, 2019 12:00 AM

    p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} The poetry and radiance of Bach's cello suites are transfigured in these remarkable interpretations by Kim Kashkashian on viola, offering "a different kind of somberness, a different kind of dazzlement" as annotator Paul Griffiths observes. One of the most compelling performers of classical and new music, Kashkashian...
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  • New Classical Tracks: Violist Kim Kashkashian delves into the Bach six cello suites
    Posted At: January 8, 2019 12:00 AM

    "With Bach, one is never completely right." That's one thing violist Kim Kashkashian has discovered over her 50-year career. There's always something to learn when it comes to this great baroque master. Nevertheless, she decided to bite the bullet and document her interpretations of Bach's Six Suites for Viola Solo. Kim, you are one of today's greatest advocates for the viola. You...
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  • Kim Kashkashian explains why it's okay to play the Bach Cello Suites on viola / CLASSICAL CLASSROOM
    Posted At: December 17, 2018 12:00 AM

    We know what you're thinking: Another episode about Bach?! That's what we said! In fact, in this episode we ask Grammy-winning violist Kim Kashkashian to explain why classical musicians play and record the same music repeatedly, and specifically, why it's often the music of Bach. Her answer is totally fascinating! We also address the elephant in the room, i.e., whether or not it would have been okay with...
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  • Kim Kashkashian's top 5 tips on combatting stage fright / theStrad
    Posted At: November 27, 2018 12:00 AM

    p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #4d4d4d; min-height: 14.0px} Kim Kashkashian, internationally recognized as a unique voice on the viola, was born of Armenian parents in Michigan. She studied the viola with Karen Tuttle and legendary violist Walter Trampler at the Peabody ...
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  • Kim Kashkashian discusses playing the Bach cello suites on viola / IdeaStationWCVE
    Posted At: November 18, 2018 12:00 AM

    Kim Kashkashian is an internationally known violist. Besides her performance schedule, she teaches at the New England Conservatory, and is Founder and President of the project Music for Food. She recently released an album featuring Bach's six cello suites, played on viola. Bach's fondness for the viola is well documented and the instrument played an important role in many of his works. Kim talked wi...
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  • IPR talks with Kim Kashkashian about the flavor viola brings to Bach's cello music
    Posted At: November 5, 2018 12:00 AM

    p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #606060} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #606060; min-height: 14.0px} ECM has just released; Bach's six cello suites, played on the viola by one of the instrument's greatest exponents, Kim Kashkashian. The suites were once described by Pablo Casals as "the very essence of ...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Kim Kashkashian talks with classical radio about the Bach cello suites, played on the viola
    Posted At: November 1, 2018 12:00 AM

    ECM has just released a new recording of Bach's six cello suites, played on the viola by one of the instrument's greatest exponents, Kim Kashkashian. The suites were once described by Pablo Casals as "the very essence of Bach…a whole radiance of space and poetry pours forth from them."  These qualities are in abundance in the present version, recorded at the American Academy of Arts a...
    Bookmark and Share

  • Kim Kashkashian takes the full latitude in her new Bach Solo Suites / stereophile
    Posted At: October 30, 2018 12:00 AM

    Little is known of the origins of the Solo Suites, usually performed on the cello. No manuscript in Bach's hand survives, and in the copy produced by his second wife, Anna Magdalena, markings for slurs, articulation, and dynamics are sparse even by baroque standards. The suites may actually have been composed for the violoncello da spalla, an instrument smaller than the cello but larger than the viol...
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  • Kim Kashkashian - Bach: Six Suites For Viola Solo make Pitchfork's '8 albums out today you should listen to now'
    Posted At: October 14, 2018 12:00 AM

    Here are Bach's six cello suites, played on the viola by one of the instrument's greatest exponents, Kim Kashkashian. The suites were once described by Pablo Casals as "the very essence of Bach…a whole radiance of space and poetry pours forth from them."  These qualities are in abundance in the present version, recorded at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York in Novemb...
    Bookmark and Share

  • New Hilary Hahn Bach - S&P's & Kim Kashkashian - Bach Suites make Violinist.com: new releases roundup
    Posted At: October 13, 2018 12:00 AM

    Welcome to "For the Record," Violinist.com's weekly roundup of new releases of recordings by violinists, violists, cellists and other classical musicians. For the week of October 11, 2018   Hilary Hahn Plays Bach "Wherever I am, Bach always seems to change the room," Hilary Hahn told Violinist.com. "You spin into a whole connected world with everyone who is in the same room." ...
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