The essence of playing Bach, or any musical piece, lies in interpretation and the journey of the musician. Renowned cellist Robert La Rue, known for his performances with the Sullivan String Quartet and the cello trio VC3, brings his distinctive approach to the music. Having performed with the New York City Opera Orchestra and the New York City Ballet, La Rue will grace the stage at the Left Bank in North Bennington on New Year’s Eve, presenting Bach’s Cello Suites No. 1 and No. 3. Speaking from New York City, he shared his thoughts on style, interpretation, and the influence of his teachers.
La Rue’s connection with Bennington dates back to around 2000 when he performed with the Sage City Symphony, featuring a concerto by a Vermont composer and Middlebury College alumnus. A graduate of Indiana University and the Juilliard School, La Rue finds himself crossing paths with fellow artists from his academic years. “Naturally, there’s a certain amount of attrition,” he notes, “but I often work with people I know from those institutions.”
Though he has taught extensively in the past, La Rue is currently focused on performance. He continues to teach privately and provides chamber music coaching. Having settled in New York after completing his studies, he finds the Northeast region a natural fit, though his career has taken him to Scandinavia, Europe, South America, and across the U.S.
When it comes to audience preferences, La Rue observes significant variation. Scandinavian countries, for instance, often show greater openness to new compositions. “In Denmark or Iceland, there’s a notable interest in hearing non-standard pieces,” he remarks, though audience preferences can differ widely based on the concert series.
For La Rue, the key to classical music lies in challenging oneself while respecting its rich history. Reflecting on a recent performance with the Sullivan String Quartet, he describes playing an early, unpublished work by Dvořák. “It was completely different from his mature style,” he explains, highlighting how exploring lesser-known works offers a fresh perspective on a composer’s evolution.
Upcoming performances also promise innovation. In February, La Rue will perform a concerto by living composer Max Lifchitz, known for his unconventional cello techniques. “The piece involves fascinating technical challenges and a looser compositional style with independent timings,” he shares.
Bach’s Cello Suites, which La Rue will perform in North Bennington, are pieces he has known since his early teens. He plays them from memory, though he keeps sheet music on hand for performances. His interpretation, which he describes as “old-fashioned,” contrasts with the “authentic performance” movement that has influenced modern renditions of Bach’s works.
While acknowledging the benefits of this movement, La Rue finds some aspects overly rigid. “A lot of people tune their instruments to A 415, about a half step lower than the modern 440 A, and use gut strings and Baroque-style bows,” he explains. “I don’t adopt those practices. For me, it’s about articulation and maintaining a balance between tradition and modernity.”
La Rue cites Spanish cellist Pablo Casals as a major influence. Casals is credited with bringing Bach’s cello suites into the modern repertoire. “These pieces were not central to the cello repertoire before Casals,” La Rue notes, emphasizing the cellist’s transformative impact.
In his approach, La Rue has sought to temper the hyper-romantic style of previous generations while avoiding the constraints of the authentic performance movement. “I’ve cleaned up the hyper-romantic approach,” he says, “but in its most unrestrained forms, the authentic performance style can also feel restrictive.”
La Rue’s performance promises a compelling blend of history, interpretation, and personal expression, offering audiences a unique perspective on Bach’s timeless works.
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