PUTNEY — On Sept. 15, Yellow Barn's “Patio Noise” series explores the complete Bach Cello Suites, a continuation of Yellow Barn's tribute to its founder, David Wells, which took place in two concerts streamed from the Big Barn in July.
Joining Artistic Director Seth Knopp on the patio will be the four cellists involved with last summer's Bach Suites residency: Natasha Brofsky and Michael Katz from New York City, and Gabriel Martins and Aaron Wolff from Boston.
Listeners are invited to join the open discussion via Yellow Barn's website (yellowbarn.org) from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m.
During its 2020 Summer Season, Yellow Barn honored its founder with performances of the complete Bach Cello Suites. The six suites were broadcast over the course of two concerts that took place on July 16, on what would have been Wells's 93rd birthday, and July 18, the day of civil rights leader John Lewis's death.
The July 18 performance opened with a 1959 recording of Odetta singing “Glory, Glory” as a tribute both to Lewis and to Bach, who signed many of his manuscripts “Soli Deo gloria” (“To the glory of God alone”), a dedication that the composer added to every piece of sacred music and many secular pieces as well.
“The greatest gift that David gave me while I was his student was to teach me the Bach Suites,” recalls Executive Director Catherine Stephan. “I carry those lessons with me to this day, through each challenge and celebration. These performances of the cello suites are dedicated to David and all that he has done to impart upon generations of students and listeners the glory of a life spent with music.”
Four Yellow Barn cellists performed the suites, both in solo performances and as an ensemble, sharing movements among them. This tradition of sharing the suites started in 2013 and has taken place both in Putney at the Big Barn and on every Yellow Barn Music Haul tour in New York City.
This year's cellists spent two weeks exploring the suites, first separately while in quarantine, and then together as a group, creating a set of performances that are both highly personal and collaborative.