The Sonatas for Violin & Harpsichord
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
J.S. BACH THE SONATAS FOR VIOLIN & HARPSICHORD RACHEL BARTON PINE JORY VINIKOUR J.S. BACH THE SONATAS FOR VIOLIN & HARPSICHORD RACHEL BARTON PINE JORY VINIKOUR DISC 1 DISC 2 J.S. BACH (1685–1750) Sonata in C minor, BWV 1017 (16:34) Sonata in B minor, BWV 1014 (13:00) 1 I. Largo (4:37) 1 I. Adagio (4:10) 2 II. Allegro (4:18) 2 II. Allegro (2:46) 3 III. Adagio (3:22) 3 III. Andante (2:59) 4 IV. Allegro (4:15) 4 IV. Allegro (3:04) Sonata in F minor, BWV 1018 (18:40) Sonata in A major, BWV 1015 (12:55) 5 I. (Largo) (7:41) 5 I. Dolce (2:58) 6 II. Allegro (4:10) 6 II. Allegro (2:58) 7 III. Adagio (4:20) 7 III. Andante un poco (2:57) 8 IV. Vivace (2:28) 8 IV. Presto (4:00) Sonata in G major, BWV 1019 (14:40) Sonata in E major, BWV 1016 (15:01) 9 I. Allegro (3:07) 9 I. (Adagio) (4:07) 10 II. Largo (1:31) 10 II. (Allegro) (2:39) 11 III. Allegro (cembalo solo) (4:07) 11 III. Adagio ma non tanto (4:38) 12 IV. Adagio (2:46) 12 IV. Allegro (3:35) 13 V. Allegro (3:08) 14 Cantabile in G major, BWV 1019a (8:22) TT: (99:45) NOTES Personal Note the harpsichordist’s left hand, and One of the things I really love about this I offer this recording to you in the spirit soli Deo gloria RACHEL BARTON PINE the harpsichordist’s right hand. I am repertoire is that there is so much room of Bach, . essentially 1/3 of the duo. for spontaneity. Playing with an artist of Special thanks to the other wonderful When violinists speak of “The Six Bachs,” Jory’s sensibility and virtuosity allows an It’s a special treat to join Jory Vinikour harpsichordists with whom I’ve they inevitably are referring to the Six incredible degree of flexibility. We are in recording this incredible repertoire. performed the Bach Sonatas over the Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied always searching for new subtleties, but Jory is not only one of the world’s great years: Luc Beauséjour, Paul Cienniwa, Violin, BWV 1001–1006. There is also able to let loose when the music harpsichordists, but also a dear friend. David Schrader, and Elisabeth Wright. another set of “Six Bachs,” however: calls for it. Even with no audience to After growing up in the Chicago area, these marvelous sonatas for violin inspire us, our performances for the he spent many years in Europe. Program Note and keyboard. recording sessions felt truly alive thanks Beginning in the late 1990s, during to this shared musical rapport. JORY VINIKOUR 4 I began studying the unaccompanied his visits back “home” to Chicago, we 5 works of Bach when I was quite young, would get together and read sonatas, I’m often asked if I have a favorite sonata Johann Sebastian Bach’s six sonatas for but my journey with his keyboard particularly Bach. It was always a true among the cycle. Honestly, I don’t — violin with harpsichord obbligato (BWV sonatas didn’t begin until I was 17. joy to play with him and, after I heard his there is such variety of character and 1014–1019) were likely composed during The J.S. Bach International Violin extraordinary recording of the Goldberg effect that each sonata holds my Bach’s period in Cöthen, between Competition in Leipzig required that Variations, I knew that we would have appreciation in its own unique way, from 1717–1723. Bach’s son, Carl Philipp I perform one as part of the second to record BWV 1014–1019 together the lovely A major, to the mysterious F Emanuel (CPE) describes these works as round. I was impressed with all of them, some day. minor, to the glorious E major. However, among the finest his father composed. but ended up choosing the ever-popular I do have a favorite note! The last low The idea of juxtaposing a thorough- Jory moved back to Chicago in 2015, No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016. After harpsichord note at the end of the first composed harpsichord part against and this project began to crystallize. In returning from Leipzig, I began studying movement of the B minor gets me every the “solo” instrument was quite novel between our respective touring, Jory the others in earnest. What a treasure time. And while I love every movement, at this time, the harpsichord possessing and I began intensely rehearsing and trove! I love how so many movements the “discarded” Cantabile in G major is a tremendous solo repertoire, but used performing these six sonatas, increasing are written with a complex trio texture. definitely my favorite: it’s truly the music principally as a continuo instrument in our understanding of them individually Bach creates an ensemble of the violinist, of angels. ensembles. Apart from the concerti for and collectively. harpsichord and strings, Bach used the harpsichord, with the right hand’s vigorous allegro, in 3/4 time. Although tripletted figuration and chordal harpsichord as an equal duo partner in two voices mostly playing thirds or the three-part polyphonic treatment accompaniment. The final movement, a three sonatas with viola da gamba, at sixths, although frequently forming remains present, Bach gives the violinist brilliant, concerto-like allegro, features least two with flute, and the six with two independent voices. When idiomatic arpeggiated figuration. The the violin and harpsichord exchanging violin. one considers that the violin is also indications of piano and forte surely brilliant, swirling, sixteenth-note frequently playing double-stops, this indicate Bach’s intention for this to be figuration. The movement’s middle These works, though never published brings the movement to a five-part performed on a two-manual harpsichord. section juxtaposes a development of in Bach’s lifetime, were admired by texture. The second movement is a fairly this writing with contrasting triplet Bach’s followers, and copies circulated The third movement, in F-sharp minor straightforward fugue, in a true trio material, creating an unusual two- throughout Europe. (andante un poco), features a canon sonata texture. The third movement, in against-three rhythmic texture. at the unison between the violin and CPE describes these works as trio D major, is a serene andante, the violin the right hand of the harpsichord, The sonata in C minor, BWV 1017, sonatas, much in line with the trio and the right hand of the harpsichord accompanied by an arpeggiated left begins with a siciliano, the violin’s 6 sonatas for organ. That is to say, embroidering over a steady eighth-note hand, marked staccato sempre. The 7 the violin and the two hands of the bass line. The brilliant finale again shows sonata closes with a joyous presto, with harpsichord part each represent the violin and the two hands of the the violin and the two hands of the relatively equal polyphonic lines within harpsichord in a three-part contrapuntal harpsichord engaged in a three-part this three-part framework. That said, the texture. fugal dialogue. sonatas vary tremendously in character, The first movement of the sonata in and even in texture, Bach treating both The sonata in E major, BWV 1016, A major, BWV 1015, lacks a tempo instruments in a profoundly idiomatic opens with a monumental adagio. indication, but the 6/8 time signature, fashion. Over a thickly layered, chorale-like the marking of dolce, and the graceful accompaniment in the harpsichord, the As a case in point, the sonata in B subject point to an intimate nature. violin soars freely in a richly ornamented minor, BWV 1014, begins with a highly The melody is heard first in the violin, line. This is followed by a merry fugue. expressive adagio. The violin’s florid then imitated in canonic fashion by the The third movement, in C-sharp minor, cantilena is accompanied by a steady harpsichord — first in the right hand, Adagio ma non tanto, shows the two eighth-note accompaniment from the then the left. This is followed by a instruments exchanging expressive exquisite melody accompanied by C. Interestingly, the violin seems and several distinct versions exist. figures contrast with the harpsichord’s the harpsichord’s arpeggiated right to comment on the surrounding Among the movements included in the left hand, in steady eighth notes. The hand figuration. The serious second contrapuntal texture, but does not version heard here, I should note two harpsichord joins in imitation, before movement is an extended fugue. The genuinely participate in the fugal that are in essence the corrente and introducing a new, sixteenth note third movement, in E-flat major, in interplay of the harpsichord’s voices. As the tempo di gavotte movements from texture. This short movement ends a serene 9/8 meter, juxtaposes the this lengthy movement finally closes on the Partita for harpsichord in E minor, on the dominant, leading directly into harpsichord’s flowing triplet figuration the dominant, this prepares the intense, BWV 830. The corrente appears as a the allegro (also in E minor) for solo against the violin’s simple melody. Only allegro fugue. The beautiful adagio solo keyboard movement, with slight harpsichord, the only such movement at the end of the movement, Bach movement that follows also displays differences from the original Partita of these six sonatas. Something of introduces a passage in sixteenth Bach’s freedom from strictly equal version, and the tempo di gavotte is a burlesca, this movement displays notes, bringing the movement to an trio textures.