For those interested in the Bach Cello Suites recorded by Anner Bylsma
on Sony:  It may be advantageous to buy the two volumes separately as
opposed to the set.  One famous online retailer (which offers a "river" of
merchandise) has the single disks for sale at $7.57 ea.  but the set of 2
disks is $28.77.

I find it interesting to compare his performances with those of, say,
Maisky.  Bylsma is very free with tempi, especially in the prelude
movements; but more importantly he appears to possess a thousand different
shades of color and dynamic gradations that to my ears reveal much more of
the music's structure than Maisky's beautiful but cloyingly unalleviated
tonal varnish.  The result is that the balance between composer and
performer is restored.  For those who are not fond of the "HIP" stringed
sound--do not dismiss these disks without a hearing.  What you hear is
Bach, not "scholarship." The Smithsonian Strad is well recorded, with a
light reverb that does not cover anything up.  You CAN hear him breathing
but it's in the right places.

Chris Bonds