Bruno Cocset is the real thing. His earlier recording of Bach's Suites for solo cello was in the same league as
Casals and
Fournier's, but his new disc of Sonatas by Jean Barrière is truly in a league of its own. There are two reasons for this. First,
Cocset is a performer of tremendous virtuosity and terrific charisma. His technique is flawless and he makes completely convincing and utterly compelling music of these supremely difficult works. Second, Barrière is a virtually unknown composer of amazingly good music. A bit younger than the generation of Marais and Forqueray, Barrière was at the peak of his career as a composer of soulful, sensitive, and staggeringly difficult music, much of it for the cello, when he died suddenly at the age of 40. The opportunity to hear a fabulous player performing stunningly good music is not to be missed by anyone who loves French cello music of the Baroque period. Alpha's recording is warm and deep, but perhaps just a bit too distant. The packaging is tasteful, beautiful, and tiny.