Nicolas Altstaedt

With his historically authentic yet fresh-sounding interpretations, Nicolas Altstaedt is one of the most sought-after cellists of our time. In tonight’s recital, the current Artist in Residence of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra turns his attention to a milestone of the cello repertoire: Johann Sebastian Bach’s famous solo suites, which cellists regard as the »Old Testament« of their discipline. Structured as a typical sequence of Baroque courtly dances, they leave all the conventions of their era far behind them: no one before Bach had recognised the solo potential of the instrument, still neglected in those days, with such genius. What did cello legend Pablo Casals once say about these suites? »They are the quintessence of Bach’s oeuvre, and Bach himself is the quintessence of all music.«