J.S. Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV 1007-1012 Henrik Dam Thomsen

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007:
• 1Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude02:38
• 2Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: II. Allemande04:29
• 3Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: III. Courante02:32
• 4Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: IV. Sarabande02:52
• 5Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: V. Menuetts I-II03:15
• 6Bach: Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: VI. Gigue01:51
• Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008:
• 7Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: I. Prélude04:20
• 8Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: II. Allemande03:44
• 9Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: III. Courante01:57
• 10Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: IV. Sarabande04:49
• 11Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: V. Menuetts I-II02:58
• 12Bach: Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008: VI. Gigue02:46
• Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009:
• 13Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: I. Prélude03:28
• 14Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: II. Allemande03:46
• 15Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: III. Courante02:59
• 16Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: IV. Sarabande04:10
• 17Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: V. Bourrées I-II03:39
• 18Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009: VI. Gigue03:11
• Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010:
• 19Bach: Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010: I. Prélude04:09
• 20Bach: Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010: II. Allemande04:02
• 21Bach: Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010: III. Courante03:35
• 22Bach: Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010: IV. Sarabande04:27
• 23Bach: Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010: V. Bourrées I-II04:49
• 24Bach: Cello Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 1010: VI. Gigue02:51
• Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011:
• 25Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: I. Prélude06:02
• 26Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: II. Allemande05:36
• 27Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: III. Courante02:02
• 28Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: IV. Sarabande03:50
• 29Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: V. Gavottes I-II04:55
• 30Bach: Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor, BWV 1011: VI. Gigue02:25
• Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012:
• 31Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: I. Prélude04:52
• 32Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: II. Allemande08:14
• 33Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: III. Courante03:53
• 34Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: IV. Sarabande05:18
• 35Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: V. Gavottes I-II04:12
• 36Bach: Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: VI. Gigue04:14
• Total Runtime02:18:50

Info for J.S. Bach: Cello Suites Nos. 1-6, BWV 1007-1012

“Nobody knows why Johann Sebastian Bach composed his six suites for solo cello. Nor does anybody know how it came about that the suites were soon afterwards consigned to oblivion and more than a century before a 13-year-old Spanish musical prodigy discovered a worn copy of the score in a second-hand bookstore store in Barcelona. For the next 11 years Pablo Casals practiced them every day. Finally, in 1936, he entered London’s Abbey Road studios to record the second and third suites for the first time. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, Bach’s cello suites have become a rite of passage for all aspiring cellists.

For Henrik Dam Thomsen, the Bach cello suites are an integral part of his life, just as they are for all top-flight cellists. During the Covid shutdown, Henrik Dam Thomsen had the opportunity to immerse himself yet deeper into the Bach suites. ‘When one plays the suites, one is obliged to undertake many choices with regard to all the knowledge about Baroque music now available.' Thomsen felt it was important for to remain true to his own instrument and perform on his regular cello, a Francesco Ruggieri built in 1680, strung using modern strings, played with a conventional bow and tuned to the usual 442 Hz. These choices ensured the best homogeneity for the suites as a whole. The suites were recorded in the burnished acoustics of the Baroque Garrison Church (Garnisons Kirke) in Copenhagen beautifully captured by Mikkel Nymand and Henrik Dam Thomsen.

”“Thomsen is a Rolls Royce among players.”“ – Classic FM Magazine

”“This young Danish cellist' is clearly someone to watch.”“ – The Strad

”“Henrik Dam Thomsen is a splendid player, technically assured, showing strong rapport with both the main works.”“ – Gramophone”

Henrik Dam Thomsen, cello

Henrik Dam Thomsen
divides his time between his position as First Principal Cellist with the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, a busy schedule playing solo and chamber music concerts, and teaching at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.

His 1998 debut from the Soloist Class of the Royal Danish Academy of Music, received an extraordinarily enthusiastic review from the Berlingske Tidende newspaper: ”Our expectations were very high, yet they were surpassed. Who could have dreamed of hearing a debut concert on an artistic level such as this? Henrik Dam Thomsen is not only a brilliant soloist, he is a virtuoso. This critic simply cannot remember anything more convincing in his 35 years of concert-going.”

Henrik has continued to live up to this praise, as his large discography testifies. His 2004 release of music by Kodàly and Brit- ten (Chandos Records) was nominated for a Danish Music Award in the category of Best Solo Recording and received numerous excellent reviews in the international mu- sic press. In 2006, his recital recording with pianist Ulrich Stærk was CD of the Month in international string magazine The Strad. In 2009, Henrik released ”Live at the Tivoli Concert Hall” – a DVD/CD box set, again with pianist Ulrich Stærk as well as the Danish National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Dausgaard. Henrik is influenced by both the distinguished Scandinavian cello tradition and some of the international cello world’s most important icons.

He studied in Copenhagen, London, and Bloomington, Indiana (USA), with Morten Zeuthen, Torleif Thedéen, William Pleeth, and Jànos Starker. He has played numerous concerts at festivals through- out Europe, the U.S. and Asia, both as a soloist and as a chamber musician, including with the Sartory Quartet and the Copenhagen Cello Quartet.

Henrik Dam Thomsen has also distinguished himself as an improviser and has performed with an array of Danish and international jazz stars. He appears on a large number of award-winning film scores, notably for several films by auteur Lars von Trier.

In 2016 Henrik Dam Thomsen was the first artist to release an APP-album. Again in collaboration with pianist, Ulrich Stærk and titled “More french pieces”.

This album contains no booklet.