Bach Cello Suites: Guitello

Jeffrey McFarland-Johnson performs the Prelude from the 1st Bach solo cello suite on his concert Guitello, a 5-string fretted plucked instrument tuned in 5ths like a cello, custom made by David Heitzman of Napa Guitar Co. (www.napaguitarco.com) at the 150th anniversary celebration of the Charles Krug winery in St. Helena, CA in the Napa Valley, USA. The Guitello's top was sourced from local 8" thick redwood planks that formed the bottom of 9,000-30,000 gallon redwood wine vats which Cesare Mondavi (Peter & Robert Mondavi's father) installed in 1943 in this barrel room where the performance takes place. Charles Krug is one of the first wineries to appear in the Napa Valley following prohibition. The Guitello is barely two-weeks old in this live performance and is played with a Dunlop felt pick to produce a soft baritone lute timbre. A DPA 4099C condenser microphone into an AER Compact 60 amplifier is used, employing the Heitzman lift to suspend the Guitello making it resonate more freely.

Performance on April 7, 2013 of the cello suites I, II, & III at the Napa United Methodist Church.