In Memory of Janos Starker

I didn't know till this afternoon that the great cellist, Janos Starker had died.  In a century that produced some really great cellists, he was unique in his ability to turn self-restraint into enormous expression.  Not expression on his behalf but on behalf of the composers whose music he played.  His Bach playing is famous for avoiding the excesses that most bring to it, his recording of the Kodaly Sonata is the best one I'm aware of.   His playing of the Brahms e minor Sonata Op. 38 is wonderful.  In the middle minuet playing, when he is in an accompaniment role he, somehow, manages to dominate things by enhancing the main voice, played by  Gyorgy Sebok.   Wonderful ensemble playing, very special.   There was no more dignified master of the cello.