Peter Martens Plays Bach’s Complete Cello Suites

On Sunday, October 8th at 3 PM at Northwards House, we present Peter Martens, one of South Africa’s finest cellists, performing all six of Bach’s suites for solo cello in a single concert. This enormous undertaking is a testament to Peter Martens’ artistry and unparalleled musicianship.

John Eliot Gardiner best describes the magic and allure of the six cello suites in his book Music in the Castle of Heaven: “The restrictive medium of the solo cello teems with interpretive matter that is implied by, but not containable in, the written music. The skeletal nature of the suites means that they are festooned by little time bombs of harmonic possibilities that tease the listener to speculate about how things may turn out. In other words, in order to fully grasp and “realise” Bach’s harmonic movement, the listener becomes an active participant in the creative act.”

Peter Martens is the principal cellist for the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and is widely celebrated as one of South Africa’s finest soloists and collaborative musicians. To borrow from a recent review by Andy Wilding: “Martens’ cello is one of the most beautiful sounds – a deep, rich harmonic wooden stringed singing being. His playing is superb compassionate, elegant phrasing, and flawless technique. His bow knows the exact line between the tender softness and the hard edge, and this extra dimension is masterfully applied to his dynamics.”

We couldn’t be more excited about this singular opportunity to hear this music, one of the pinnacles of the classical music repertoire, performed by one of South Africa’s most distinguished musicians.

Tickets are available at Quicket. We cannot wait to see you there!