Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Sonatas and Partitas for unaccompanied violin
Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001 [13.40]
Partita No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1002 [22.13]
Sonata No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003 [20.00]
Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 [27.49]
Sonata No. 3 in C minor, BWV 1005 [20.34]
Partita No. 3 in E, BWV 1006 [18.36]
Cecylia Arzewski (violin)
rec. American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, 10-11 March and 27-28
May 2011
BRIDGE 9358 A/B [59.16 + 67.23]
Bach’s sonatas and partitas are certainly the best-known works written
for solo violin. When a violin soloist in a concerto is looking for an encore
to follow his or her performance, the chances are highly likely that the audience
will be treated to one or more movements from one of these works. There have
been a considerable number of other works written for solo violin, but the
Bach pieces continue to reign supreme.
In fact they are not the most tractable of works written for this medium.
Bach’s contrapuntal style, although he handles it with care and skill,
does not fit easily onto the four strings of a solo violin. The instruments
of Bach’s day, with their flatter bridges, allowed for a greater facility
of double and triple stopping which allowed the composer to write independently
for a number of different parts; but players using modern instruments have
to compromise to a greater or lesser degree in how much of the contrapuntal
writing they allow the listener to appreciate. In the end the many transcriptions
of these movements for other medium, piano and so on, do permit the subtleties
of the writing to be more readily understood. Nevertheless the sonatas and
partitas remain to delight, to puzzle and to frustrate players and audiences
alike.
In a personal note included in the booklet the Polish violinist here, Cecylia
Arzewski, explains that she has attempted to be as faithful as possible to
Bach’s style while employing a modern violin and bow. In this she has
succeeded, but inevitably there are compromises involved. How much listeners
will view these as disadvantages will depend largely on their own personal
taste. As a guide one can only observe that Arzewski is less overtly romantic
than some of her predecessors who have used modern instruments such as Arthur
Grumiaux or Henryk Szeryng; but she is much more emotionally committed than
many of the practitioners who have used period instruments. Many may regard
her approach as an ideal sort of compromise, and the recording while close
is not overwhelmingly so in a pleasantly resonant acoustic.
The booklet notes by Malcolm MacDonald are comprehensive and informative and
add weight to a substantial performance.
Paul Corfield Godfrey
Much more emotionally committed than many period instrument practitioners
… a substantial performance.
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