Dear Steven,

I am sure that I was not the only one moved by your talent and by your dedication to Bach that night or any time you perform. My son, the guitarist who is searching for his place in this often vacuous world, has been listening to the CDs, appreciating you, your kind (and surprising to me!) comments about his Mom, and your inspiring work. Yes, a life of meaning and purpose is worth pursuing – even for its own end.

Thank you for the wonderful evening in Dallas! I won’t forget it – especially as I think about what I want to do with the rest of my life (I am approaching sixty one day too and am a writer who spends much too much of my life grading poorly written student papers…. something’s gotta give).

All best wishes as you continue to inspire with your gifts.

Steven was captivating with his perfectly orchestrated flow of live music, color, never seen before pictures of Bach and his magical storytelling that transcended me to the journey of Bach's life. I know there were times during the evening each of us felt the tears, some of happiness and some of struggle. Following the close, I watched as Guests lined up to speak with him personally and he took time for each one, including laughs, autographs and pictures!

What an emotionally charged evening for all. I was so touched to learn one family had driven 5 hours to attend and then, stayed way into the night sharing thoughts and stories. And the amazing others, who attended even after a long week of work!! Thank you to ALL that attended...your presence added to the joy and wave of emotions that emerged, feelings which would not have been the same without you!

Thank you Steven for coming and perhaps we will be fortunate to have you and Beth visit us again ! My heart still feels the music and I know my life has been changed.

They met and exceeded all my expectations. Bach, ah Bach. They sounded …like they were composed for the guitar... I loved the steel strings. I loved the books. I can't get the second one to load. Maybe someone has a suggestion. I appreciate the level of scholarship.

Absolutely superlative music, technique and an incredible Somogyi instrument combine with deep dedication and Hancoff's masterful transcription to make a CD and video series that belongs in the collection of every lover of classical guitar (or of Bach!), and in the curriculum of every serious music school and department.

Listening to music always soothes me. It is one of my greatest hobby. I listened to music when I am happy and most especially when I am sad. Music is always a part of my daily life. I also love to sing too.

I am so thankful that I got the chance to listen and review the 3 CDs. It feels like you are serenaded while listening to the music. The sounds from all the instruments feels so relaxing. I listened to it when I am alone. I LOVE all this music. It sounds so beautiful. I can play it all day and reflect life. The best music to listen. If you love instrumental, mellow songs, I highly recommend these CD's to you. I can listen to it all day long. The sound is so crisply clear. It feels like you are in-front of the musician. It feels so cool.

I have listened to this 3 CD music set. The music is beautiful and lovely background accompaniment to dinner or an evening of quiet reading.

Prepare for close to 3 hours of music that will touch you. Though written for cello the transition to guitar is delightful. Those who have a fondness for guitars will fall in love with the instrument again.

I also found the accompanying booklet to be enlightening as it described the means by which many of Bach's pieces were saved so that we could and can rediscover them though this presentation by Steven Hancoff.

Steven was captivating with his perfectly orchestrated flow of live music, color, never seen before pictures of Bach and his magical storytelling that transcended me to the journey of Bach's life. I know there were times during the evening each of us felt the tears, some of happiness and some of struggle. Following the close, I watched as Guests lined up to speak with him personally and he took time for each one, including laughs, autographs and pictures!

What an emotionally charged evening for all. I was so touched to learn one family had driven 5 hours to attend and then, stayed way into the night sharing thoughts and stories. And the amazing others, who attended even after a long week of work!! Thank you to ALL that attended...your presence added to the joy and wave of emotions that emerged, feelings which would not have been the same without you!

Thank you Steven for coming and perhaps we will be fortunate to have you and Beth visit us again ! My heart still feels the music and I know my life has been changed.

An amazing evening. If you get the chance to see, hear, and experience this performance, you'll leave the evening awed and inspired.

Thank you so much for your wonderfull transcription of the Bach cello suites. I am a huge fan of Bach and the classical guitar. And the fact that I will be able to try some of these on the guitar is very exciting. I can only imagine the amount of work that went into the production of these suites, and I appreciate the creative energy that you devoted to this task. To make them available for free is both generous and a grand gesture to the art of Bach and the classical guitar. Thank you for your generousity and artistic contribution.

"Today I listened to your recording during a long train jouney. It is a remarkable recording. I never enjoyed listening to the Cello Suites so much! This is a personal impression.

***We should get into contact about selling your CD in our shop.

Anyway, congratulations!

Best wishes,"

*** The Cds are now on sale at the Bachhaus Museum!!

"Thank you immensely for the wonderful recordings. We listen to them regularly and have gotten to know them well. You are of course an absolute master! My great congratulations.

We listen in our car, returning from the Bad Breisig thermal bath. We drive along the majestic Rhein River after 20:00 and listen to you play on a good speaker system.

Thank you for your kind sharing."

"Steven Hancoff exhibits the rare genius and sensitivity of soul, supreme intellect and passionate, astonishing musicianship requisite for a task so broadly demanding as this milestone achievement. What a thrill to hear this music rendered so exquisitely, and to be able to swim in the milieu of Bach's genius through Steven Hancoff's heart and hands. Thank you for the enormous commitment it took to curate, cultivate and bring into the world this treasure for us all. World culture is richer for your efforts, as well as every one who takes up the opportunity to be uplifted by this life and music."

"YOU HAVE ME MESMERIZED. YOU HAVE CREATED A MASTERPIECE."

"…the music is blissful."

"All I can say is Wow! I am playing the third disk as I type after listening straight through the first two. I love it."

"Thank you for sharing with us the birth of this beautiful baby. I read the manuscript. Amazing amount of detail and so accessible. I am so pleased that this achievement is finally available to the world and wishing you huge success and acclaim."

"Wow! … The music and art are exquisite. What a great contribution you have made. I am honored to have met you and again, thank you!"

"I just finished listening to Suite #5. Your playing of this music is an extraordinary gift to me, of immense value where I am in life now. Thank you."

"…I was blown out of the water! It is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing them. I’ve listened to all three CDs each of the last two days, and I bet I could listen each day for the rest of my life and hear something new each time. Thank you so much for sharing your life’s work with me. It is really just amazing."

"You autographed a recording of the Bach cello suites in the College Bookstore for me on Saturday. I want you to know that I listened to the first two suites soon after returning home yesterday and enjoyed them intensely. They are magical…My very sincere thanks."

"We listened to the whole CD (Six Suites for Cello Solo) on our drive home from Annapolis and found that Steven has made beautiful music. We are in awe!"

"I want to tell you that I listen to the three CDs over and over while at home and in the car. I absolutely love your interpretation throughout and masterful expression on the guitar. I keep thinking that it is really too bad that [Janos] Starker passed away last year, right before he could have heard this work. He loved the guitar and would have been downright excited to hear what you did! I think two things about him and this; that he would have probably flown you in, and he also probably would have confessed that he liked the guitar transcription more than the original! (I certainly do.) Thank you for this valuable contribution to repertoire for the guitar, and the chronicling of the works of Bach. "

"I am beginning to get totally blown away by your stunning book. It is breathtaking. So finely done. So, too, your performance and interpretation of the Suites themselves. One day, I hope to comprehend the complete greatness and importance of this work that you have done. "

"My brother János brought me the gift of your Bach album on Saturday…What an introduction to the world you created! I have been listening to it ever since, and I write to thank you…. the task waited for you and you have accomplished it magnificently, with your gift of musicality and your sensibility to the nuances of expression. It is almost as if Bach wrote for your instrument. "

We wanted to thank you for the wonderful letter that you wrote and also a huge thank you for the (cd’s) discs… Bach is exactly the composer that I love most, and the discs are simply out of this world. I put one of them in the car and I listen to it coming and going. Kol hakavod [Kudos] to your guy…he truly plays extraordinarily and the compositions that he chose are stupendous. Thank you so much and tell him all that I said.