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Peter Bruns and Roglit Ishay prove convincing advocates for this singleminded and almost obsessive music. Bruns has its oratorical measure, encompassing easily the confessional manner of some phrases and the most extravert lyricism for maximum drama. He is ably and sensitively supported by Ishay. The three unaccompanied suites come from the end of Bloch's life. Technically they are quite as demanding as anything on the disc.

The influence of Bach may be somewhere in the background, perhaps most noticeably in a couple of gigue-like movements; but it is Bloch who speaks, never more impassioned than in the long sinuous lines of the slower pieces. The third suite has five movements (three plus two) to the others' four; the formidable technical demands can be appreciated from the first Allegro in Suite No 1 [listen -- track 6, 0:00-1:01].

Bruns gives a masterful performance throughout, which is surely the signal for opus 111 to embark on the Bloch quartets. Opus 111 is a Beethoven piano sonata rather than cello work or string quartet; but it is the end of a line, complete in itself, yet eager for worthy successors. Such a series would prove as much a revelation as this CD.

To listen to the aural illustrations in this review, you may need to download RealNetworks' realplayer 8.