Mischa Maisky Bach Cello

A fitting tribute to Mischa Maisky, who celebrates his 60th birthday on 10 January 2008, and also the 25th anniversary of recording with Deutsche Grammophon - not to mention his 30-year partnership with Martha Argerich.

Mischa Maisky started studying the cello at the age of eight. An immensely talented student, he entered the Riga Conservatory. Discouraged by the rigid curriculum, however, he moved to Leningrad in 1965. He not only won the Soviet Union's national cello competition, but also had an acclaimed debut with the Leningrad Philharmonic. In 1966, Maisky won a prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.

These three sonatas - composed originally for the viola da gamba and harpsichord - are very musically-appealing compositions. And unlike previous Baroque cahmber-music tradition, the harpsichord is not relegated to mere continuo but projected into the spotlight as co-soloist - perhaps to showcase some of Bach's keyboard virtuosity. There are several fine period recordings of these works on viola da gamba and harpsichord (Savall, Peri, Crum, Wispelwey) or modern cello with harpsichord (Ma, Tortelier). But if your taste favors all modern instuments (cello, piano), then this circa-80's CD by the legendary Martha Argerich and Misha Maisky is the ticket.

"The Bach Suites are the great baritone soliloquies of music, and Maisky has the voice for them: marvellously firm and unrestrained in the upper register, always true in pitch, never unpleasant and yet rarely giving the impression that anything as frivolous as tonal beauty is the goal … The recording captures the sense of a lone musician responding inquisitively and strongly, with all his mind and technique, to divine dictation." - The Times

When you've got a good thing going, as Russian-born Israeli cellist Mischa Maisky did with his first two solo cello albums, Meditation and Adagio, why not continue? So here is his third collection of lovely and well-loved classical themes, most of which are specially arranged for cello and piano, several by Maisky himself. Included are Debussy's Clair de lune and Saint-Saëns's Allegro appassionato.

This very personal album, dedicated to Mischa’s young daughter Mila, features all new recordings with his daughter Lily Maisky (piano).

This very personal album, dedicated to Mischa’s young daughter Mila, features all new recordings with his daughter Lily Maisky (piano).

This very personal album, dedicated to Mischa’s young daughter Mila, features all new recordings with his daughter Lily Maisky (piano).