Bach in Bologna Mauro Valli

• Domenico Gabrielli (1659 - 1690):
• 1 Ricercar No. 1 in G Minor 04:10
• 2 Ricercar No. 6 in G Major 06:30
• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007:
• 3 Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: I. Prélude 03:15
• 4 Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: II. Allemande 04:57
• 5 Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: III. Courante 02:57
• 6 Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: IV. Sarabande 04:14
• 7 Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: V. Menuet I - II 03:24
• 8 Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007: VI. Gigue 02:01
• Domenico Gabrielli:
• 9 Ricercar No. 3 in D Major 04:16
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012:
• 10 Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: I. Prélude 05:06
• 11 Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: II. Allemande 09:12
• 12 Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: III. Courante 04:05
• 13 Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: IV. Sarabande 05:19
• 14 Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: V. Gavotte I - II 05:07
• 15 Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: VI. Gigue 04:31
• Domenico Gabrielli:
• 16 Canon a due violoncelli in D Major 02:17
• 17 Ricercar No. 7 in D Minor 07:07
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012: Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008:
• 18 Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008: I. Prélude 03:36
• 19 Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008: II. Allemande 03:24
• 20 Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008: III. Courante 02:13
• 21 Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008: IV. Sarabande 04:34
• 22 Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008: V. Menuet I - II 03:22
• 23 Cello Suite No. 2, BWV 1008: VI. Gigue 02:40
• Domenico Gabrielli:
• 24 Ricercar No. 4 in E-Flat Major 06:12
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010:
• 25 Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010: I. Prélude 03:53
• 26 Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010: II. Allemande 04:06
• 27 Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010: III. Courante 04:11
• 28 Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010: IV. Sarabande 05:28
• 29 Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010: V. Bourrée I - II 05:29
• 30 Cello Suite No. 4, BWV 1010: VI. Gigue 03:21
• Domenico Gabrielli:
• 31 Ricercar No. 5 in C Major 02:20
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009:
• 32 Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009: I. Prélude 03:57
• 33 Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009: II. Allemande 03:39
• 34 Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009: III. Courante 03:42
• 35 Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009: IV. Sarabande 05:38
• 36 Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009: V. Gavotte I - II 03:44
• 37 Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009: VI. Gigue 03:28
• Domenico Gabrielli:
• 38 Ricercar No. 2 in A Minor 11:01
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011:
• 39 Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011: I. Prélude 06:34
• 40 Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011: II. Allemande 05:45
• 41 Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011: III. Courante 02:20
• 42 Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011: IV. Sarabande 04:05
• 43 Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011: V. Gavotte I - II 05:10
• 44 Cello Suite No. 5, BWV 1011: VI. Gigue 02:54
• Total Runtime 03:15:14

Info for Bach in Bologna

Bach and Gabrielli: the focus of this recording is an unusual musical match involving the famous 6 Suites for violoncello solo by Johann Sebastian Bach and the little-known 7 Ricercari for violoncello solo (1689) by Domenico Gabrielli of Bologna, the first example of a work for unaccompanied cello in history, and thus the only precedent and possible model for the Bach masterpiece. In what ways are the two series of compositions linked? Cellist Mauro Valli is convinced that there is a connection between the two for a number of reasons, including the preponderant correspondence of the keys. Bach assiduously performed and transcribed works by Italian composers, not only those of his contemporaries but also of earlier musicians, so it is highly likely that he was familiar with Gabrielli’s works, in particular with the Ricercari. Mauro Valli provides an intriguingly new interpretation of Bach’s six masterpieces by heralding each one with the corresponding Ricercare. The outcome is strikingly fresh and original, with a wealth of courageously personal diminutions and embellishments that derive from Valli’s deep knowledge of the Italian baroque repertoire. Bach was fascinated by composers such as Frescobaldi, Albinoni and Vivaldi, and it certainly makes good sense to perform his Suites in the Italian style!

Mauro Valli, cello

Mauro Valli
was born in Sant’Agata Feltria, the same birthplace of Angelo Berardi. Valli descend from the great school of the legendary cellist Camillo Oblach, the favourite cellist of Toscanini famous for the magic velvet sound of his playing.

After winning several competitions (Vittorio Veneto, Turin, Milan) he joined the Orchestra of “Teatro alla Scala” where he played under legendary conductors such as Leonard Bernstein, Carlos Kleiber, George Pretre. However his main interests have always been chamber music and baroque music and for this reason he left La Scala to devote himself exclusively to playing and teaching in these areas.

He has worked with notable musicians such as Maurice Steger making with him very succesful recordings) and Anner Bylsma, who described him as a Master of embellishment. Member Founder of Accademia Bizantina, he has also played as soloist and first cello in others well known chamber music groups such as Quartetto Sandro Materassi, Il Complesso Barocco of Alan Curtis, I Barocchisti di Lugano of Diego Fasolis. He has appeared in some of the most important Concert Halls of the world, always to great acclaim.

Both as soloist and as chamber musician, he has made many records with well known companies such as Decca, Denon, Harmonia Mundi, Arts, and these have always been favourably rewiewed; the records include Concerti by Vivaldi and Leo, Sonatas by Scarlatti and Trio Sonata by Bach, Corelli, Galuppi, Platti. His next CD – teh first world recording of the Six Canzoni by Angelo Berardi – will be published by Sony. He also plans to record Bach Sonatas and Vivaldi Concertos with Diego Fasolis, with whom he regularly collaborates.

His concerts have been transmitted by some of the main Radio and Television station of Europe. For about thirty years he has dedicated himself to playing baroque music on original instruments and to the rediscovery of historical instruments such as the five-stringed violoncello piccolo, the Arpeggione and the Baryton. He plays a cello made by Andrea Castagneri in 1740 and also uses a violoncello piccolo and a copy of a Montagnana made by the violin makers Lucia Valli and Matias Herrera. With their help he has produced a copy of an Arpeggione conserved by the Museum of Musica Instruments of Berlin.

He has been a lecturer in chamber music at the Conservatorio of Bologna, and he has taught for ten years at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana of Lugano.

This album contains no booklet.