Markku Luolajan-Mikkola - J.S. Bach: Complete Sonatas & Partitas (2016)

With two Gramophone Awards to his name and a reputation synonymous with excellence, Markku Luolajan-Mikkola is a musician who is at the top of his profession.With an established fan base built over his two decades with viol consort Phantasm, Luolajan-Mikkola makes his solo Linn debut in style,tackling what is considered the pinnacle of Bach's output for violinists: the Sonatas and Partitas.

Transcribing these hugely popular works for cello, especially one in Baroque set-up, was not without its risks,although performing on Baroque cello also offers compelling advantages.Luolajan-Mikkola takes his interpretative cue from the set-up of the Baroque instrument, which informs such issues as tuning,vibrato,fingering and articulation.

Performing the Sonatas and Partitas on the cello is so challenging that it is almost impossible to imagine a cellist of Bach's day playing them, but Luolajan-Mikkola rises to the challenge with aplomb.Luolajan-Mikkola's main aim in this recording has been to capture emotion and convey expression according to the respective key and character of each movement,which he achieves in spades.

Tracklist:

Disc: 1
1. I. Allemanda
2. II. Corrente
3. III. Sarabanda
4. IV. Giga
5. V. Ciaccona
6. I. Grave
7. II. Fuga
8. III. Andante
9. IV. Allegro
10. I. Preludio
11. II. Loure
12. III. Gavotte En Rondeau
13. IV. Menuet I & II
14. V. Bourrée
15. VI. Gigue

Disc: 2
1. I. Allemanda
2. II. Double
3. III. Corrente
4. IV. Double. Presto
5. V. Sarabande
6. VI. Double
7. VII. Tempo Di Borea
8. VIII. Double
9. I. Adagio
10. II. Fuga: Allegro
11. III. Siciliana
12. IV. Presto
13. I. Adagio
14. II. Fuga
15. III. Largo
16. IV. Allegro Assai