Celebrate Bach's 330th Birthday Today with Amy Porter's 'IN TRANSLATION' CD Release

Breathing as bowing...

"When I was young and first heard the Bach Suites for Solo Cello," says renowned flutist Amy Porter, "I developed what I call 'cello envy'! I wanted to be able to create the sustained lines and phrasing of a string instrument on the flute.

"It took years for me to develop the ability to manipulate my airstream, adapting my breath to behave like the bow of a string instrument. Now I was able to bring out the beauty of these profound and challenging pieces through shadings and timbral changes as if I were bowing, using breath as a musical, organic interpretive device.

"So here are Bach's sweeping lines for solo cello, two octaves higher and with a wind instrument at the helm. These transcriptions expand Bach's limited oeuvre for flute. I hope it is a suitable way of expressing my gratitude and affection to him on his birthday!"