Don Satz, in his overview of recordings of J.S. Bach's Suites for
Unaccompanied Cello, Part 1, states that he is unfamiliar with the two
recordings with viola, and then proceeds (before his updates) to pan the
viola recording by Barbara Westphal and praise to the skies the viola
recording by Patricia McCarty.  How does unfamiliarity breed contempt
on the one hand and adoration on the other?

Also, I wish Don had made some comparison between Peter Wispelwey's 1998
recording and his 1990 recording (on Channel Classics 1090).  Supposedly
the 1998 version was an artistic revision of the earlier set.

Most perplexing is Don's omission of the recording of the suites by Janos
Starker.

John Dalmas
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