June 1, 2004

 

There is no music that I have found that has been more rewarding to play or listen to than that of the Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach. I was first introduced to his work through Yo-Yo Ma's early recording of the Cello Suites. It didn't take long to amass a collection of dozens and then hundreds of Bach recordings. The Solo Cello Suites always had a special place in my heart though. I began working on them around 1994. Shortly thereafter, I began to attempt some of the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin which proved to be even more challenging. These works are significantly more advanced than the Cello Suites.

 

It soon became clear to me that these works were to play an important part in my future as a musician. I made an oath to myself that I would someday learn and record all of them. I originally expected that this would take the rest of my lifetime but as I began to practice and study them further, I found that my skills were improving faster than I expected. Though I am still far from my goal, that goal is now within sight.