Bach: Suites Nos. 1, 2 + 3 on the mandocello

Johann Sebastian Bach's cello suites are his only works for solo cello, but they are of central importance to the repertoire and remain unsurpassed in their expressive musical depth. Dor Gidon Amran, the virtuoso mandolinist who recorded his own unique arrangement of Niccolò Paganini's "24 Caprices," has now arranged Cello Suites Nos. 1–3 for the mandocello. The mandocello is a baritone instrument from the mandolin family, though much larger than a mandolin, and its strings are tuned exactly like those of a cello. Because it is played with a plectrum, the mandocello belongs to an entirely different sound world than the cello and offers a unique perspective on these magnificent works. The Israeli musician Dor Gidon Amran has performed as a soloist in Israel with various orchestras, as well as in Moldova and at the Paganini Genova Festival. He is also an arranger for the Israeli Mandolin Soloists Ensemble and has collaborated with several chamber orchestras. He is a frequent scholarship recipient of the AICF and took second place at the International Mandolin Competition in Modena, Italy. He plays a mandolin and a mandocello by the Israeli luthier Arik Kerman.