Richard Narrowly Archive

Johann Sebastian BACH: Six cello suites – Richard Narroway, cello — Sono Luminus 

by Audiophile Audition | Sep 26, 2017 | Classical CD Reviews

Johann Sebastian BACH: Six cello suites – Richard Narroway, cello — Sono Luminus SLE-70010, 1:16:26, (9/24/17) **** Richard Narroway would not be the first young cellist to take-on the suites for solo cello by Johann Sebastian Bach early in their professional career. Immediately in my mind I think of a young Yo-Yo Ma, who recorded the suites for the first time in 1984 for CBS Masterworks (Sony). While Narroway is not as well-established as Ma, there’s little doubt he has a promising career ahead of him either as a performer, pedagogue, or both, as evidenced by his YouTube videos. Narroway approaches the suites on one hand in a very clean, clear, and measured way, blurring the lines between a period approach and a more romantic one. His use of vibrato is never excessive and is used to warm a note, or to provide an organic lift. This approach is careful in one respect, aiming to not offend the listener with anything getting in the way of Bach’s music. Narroway’s training wears well: his intonation is impeccable throughout and his articulation is always clear. The effect is not unlike his appearance: young and clean shaven. Yet Narroway does inflect some personality […]