Bach’s Cello Suites are his only works for solo cello but are central to the repertoire and remain unequalled in their expressive musical depth. Dor Gidon Amran, the virtuoso mandolinist who has recorded his own unique arrangement of Paganini’s 24 Caprices on Dynamic (CDS8038), has now arranged Cello Suites nos. 1–3 for the mandocello. This is a baritone instrument of the mandolin family, but much larger than a mandolin, whose strings are tuned exactly like those of the cello. Being played with a plectrum, the mandocello belongs to a very different sound world to the cello, offering a unique perspective on these great works.

Israeli musician Dor Gidon Amran has appeared as a soloist in Israel with various orchestras, as well as in Moldova and in the Paganini Genova Festival. He is also the arranger of the Israeli Mandolin Soloists Ensemble and has worked with several chamber orchestras. A frequent AICF scholarship recipient, he also came second at the International Mandolin Competition in Modena, Italy. He plays a mandolin and a mandoncello made by Israeli luthier Arik Kerman.