Suite No. 2 for Unaccompanied Cello

You have to admire contemporary composers who choose to grapple with classical music’s sacrosanct past, especially those with the chutzpah to take on the task of adding to a well-trodden repertoire niche. Are there any stones left unturned by J. S. Bach and Benjamin Britten when it comes to unaccompanied cello suites? Well, there must be a few pebbles lying around yet to be discovered. So like a determined prospector, composer Randall Svane decided to hunt in a stripped quarry in search of diamonds. The booty turns out to be these three expressive cello suites that demonstrate Svane’s clear, straightforward approach and admiration towards his material.

—RN