The Fourth Unaccompanied solo Violoncello Suite of J.S.Bach : An interpretive comparative study

This exegesis will discuss the issues surrounding performance practice, particularly relating to the Baroque period, through a comparative study of the interpretations of J.S.Bach's Fourth Unaccompanied Suite for Violoncello by Pablo Casals and Anner Byslma. The paper is divided into three main chapters. The first examines the various elements of interpretation which affect the study and performance of Baroque music in today's musical landscape. The second is an interpretive comparative study of the recordings of the performers, with a detailed analysis of the fourth movement of the suite, the Sarabande. The final chapter focuses on my own interpretation of this suite, comparing it to the interpretations of the two performers and discussing the effect their interpretations have had on my own.