Recording
Title: Violin Sonatas
Performer: Andrew Manze, Richard Egarr, Jaap ter Linden
Year: 1999
Length: 2 hours 20 minutes
Review
These are some lovely pieces, but unfortunately not the most exciting music Bach ever composed. Well, they are quite exciting in terms of some of the innovations that are introduced here, but not as much as something to listen attentively to.
The interplay of the three instruments, Violin, Harpsichord, and Viola da Gamba are the most interesting and innovative thing about the pieces, but the whole thing is very subdued, very gentle, even in the more animated movement. I am not certain if this is the fault of the performers or the composition.
The playing is amazing throughout, however, even the little play of having the famous toccata and fugue in d minor attributed to Bach opening the second CD, transcribed for solo violin works quite well. Very gentle music, but a bit over-sentimental and not particularly exciting.
Final Grade
8/10
Trivia
From Wikipedia:
Johann Sebastian Bach's contributions to music, or, to borrow a term popularised by his student Lorenz Christoph Mizler, his "musical science", are frequently bracketed with those by William Shakespeare in English literature and Isaac Newton in physics. Scientist and author Lewis Thomas once suggested how the people of Earth should communicate with the universe: "I would vote for Bach, all of Bach, streamed out into space, over and over again. We would be bragging of course, but it is surely excusable to put the best possible face on at the beginning of such an acquaintance. We can tell the harder truths later."
BWV 1016, 3rd movement:
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