Bach: Cello Suites
Anastasia Kobekina (cello)
Sony Classical 1 98029 54682 8

"There might not yet be as many recordings of Bach's cello suites as there are stars in the sky, but there are certainly as many ways of interpreting this monumental music, both in performance and philosophically." So observes Anastasia Kobekina in her thoughtful approach to these glorious works, and her words prove prophetic. It is no easy feat to follow in the line of stellar performers who have stamped their mark on Bach's masterful suites, yet Kobekina's interpretation reveals something genuinely fresh.

The timing feels apposite. Her career has been gathering momentum since 2024, when she received both the Leonard Bernstein Award and an Opus Klassik Award and saw the release of the full-length documentary Jetzt oder nie! (Now or Never!) through ARD. Now, performing on period instruments with a historically informed perspective, she brings both technical authority and emotional depth to these supreme works.

Kobekina's achievement lies in the way she navigates Bach's wonderful architecture with a passionate emotional thread running through the resonance. She creates space to let the sounds breathe while simultaneously establishing an intimacy with the listener—one that feels familiar yet, through the clarity and tenderness of her playing, discovers new warmth and affection. Her legato phrasing is wonderfully supple, each line shaped with impeccable technique and a thoughtfulness that guides the listener through these structures like a stunning cathedral: light shining through a window captures unexpected beauty; high in the triforium, brightness spills down to a lady chapel where sounds ring out with articulate clarity. The gut strings prove particularly exquisite in the upper register.

What makes this recording compelling is how Kobekina's approach prompts even seasoned listeners to reconsider these familiar works. Her choices of tempi and dynamics reveal fresh perspectives, and there are moments when a dazzling improvisatory feel succeeds in making centuries-old music sound spontaneous. Each suite—prelude followed by its dance movements—crafts her distinctive personality onto these iconic works without overwhelming Bach's blueprint.

An impressive album, and one to keep listeners on their toes.