Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) Recorded at Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin, Germany · May 9–11, 2012 3 Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord Production: GENUIN classics, Carola Malter (Deutschlandradio Kultur) Recording Producer / Tonmeister: Alfredo Lasheras Hakobian Editing: Julia Eichler, Alfredo Lasheras Hakobian Sonata I in G Major, bwv 1027 Cello: Nicolas Lupot, Paris 1821 01 Adagio [04:04] Harpsichord: French Harpsichord, adapted from Henry Hemsch, Paris 1754, built from Christian Fuchs, 02 Allegro ma non tanto [03:38] in possession of Sabine Erdmann 03 Andante [02:57] Harpsichord Tuner: Markus Fischinger, Berlin; Torben Garlin, Berlin 04 Allegro moderato [03:13] Text: Rainer Lepuschitz English Translation: Matthew Harris, Ibiza Sonata II in D Major, bwv 1028 Photography: Julien Mignot, Paris Booklet Editing: Johanna Brause, Leipzig 05 Adagio [01:56] Graphic Design: Thorsten Stapel, Münster 06 Allegro [03:44] 07 Andante [04:47] GENUIN classics GbR 08 Allegro [04:07] Holger Busse, Alfredo Lasheras Hakobian, Michael Silberhorn Feuerbachstr. 7 · 04105 Leipzig · Germany Phone: +49 . (0) 3 41 . 2 15 52 50 · Fax: +49 . (0) 3 41 . 2 15 52 55 · [email protected] · www.genuin.de Sonata III in g Minor, bwv 1029 P + © 2013 GENUIN classics, Leipzig, Germany + Deutschlandradio Kultur 09 Vivace [05:01] All rights reserved. Unauthorized copying, reproduction, hiring, 10 Adagio [06:12] lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited. 11 Allegro [03:31] The Borletti-Buitoni Trust (BBT) helps outstanding young musicians to develop and sustain international ca- reers with awards that fund tailor-made projects. As well as financial assistance the Trust provides invaluable sup- Total Time [43:18] port and encouragement to an ever-growing family of young musicians. www.bbtrust.com 2 3 From joyful exuberance to solemn gravity the case of the second sonata there is only a copy in tains a very dense texture most of time and is distrib- which the bass line often goes beyond the viola da uted across several parts. The two musicans therefore gamba part. There is much harmonically to finger and also considered it necessary for string instrument to comprehend in this piece. In the third sonata with its be immersed in the sound of the harpsichord. much larger, sometimes majestic air, as a musician However, the viola da gamba sometimes has dif- one has the impression of being part of a larger en- ficulty in projecting its sound. The sonatas were siezed ˘ Rainer Lepuschitz, June 2013 semble. The theme of its first movement bears an as- upon by other string instrument players, above all cel- tonishing similarity to the opening movement of the lists but also viola players, and arranged for their rep- Third Brandenburg Concerto. The subordinate theme ertoire. When this happens, however, the harpsichord from the Finale of the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto is in turn can easily find itself tonally overwhelmed, and In the late afternoon the noise of construction Experimental counterpoint as a form of existential- related to the fugue theme of the third sonata move- for this reason a piano is used in its place. For Alts- work around the Jesus Christus Kirche in Berlin- ism. The storm outside, Bach’s prescient Sturm und ment – Bach included the expressive indication canta- taedt and Cohen, who are both knowledgeable about Dahlem finally subsided. But a thunderstorm set in Drang music inside the church. Again and again the bile over these two themes, a term her rarely used. The period performance practice, this was not an option. and soon the rain was drumming on the church roof music breaks free of an almost classicistic severity, sonata was probably initially also an – in the mean- Thus, in a sense they joined forces in the authentic and water was even dripping into the sanctuary. A and so do the musicians. This also happens in the si- time lost – orchestral piece. performance movement. Cohen played on a harpsi- storm was raging around the church. Not exactly ciliano-like movement with the arioso melodiousness Bach’s employer in Cöthen, Prince Leopold of chord, Altstaedt on a cello, with the steel strings tuned hospitable conditions for recording a CD of Baroque of the Second Sonata in D major, BWV 1028: It takes ex- Anhalt-Cöthen, himself played the viola da gamba. a half tone lower in accordance with the 415 Hz concert chamber music. The sonatas for viola da gamba and pansive flight and yet there are always the unmistake- Among Bach’s capelle colleagues was an outstanding pitch customary in Cöthen around 1720. Altstaedt was harpsichord by Johann Sebastian Bach were on the able Bach steps guide it back to solid musical ground. viola da gamba player, the “premier-musicus” Chris- not able to realize his long-held wish to play on gut music stand. But for the moment recording takes were For example the pedal-point in the strings and above tian Ferdinand Abel. Bach could have written the so- strings on his Lupot violoncello from 1821, because its unthinkable. Because of the unfavorable weather the it the cadence of the harpsichord with other-worldly natas one or the other. In doing this he obviously re- current tuning is not compatible with the tension re- harpsichord went out of tune within an hour. It took harmonies at the end of the Andante in the Sonata in sorted to earlier works and arranged them in a format quired. But the steel strings tuned lower result in the a bit of time before the tuner returned. Then Nicolas G major. appropriate for the at that time already outdated and cello sounding far more relaxed, with far less soloistic Altstaedt and Jonathan Cohen have to find a new bal- This music by Bach has been on many journeys, old-fashioned viola da gamba, which was increasingly tone projection and a softer as well as darker sound ance between the keyboard instrument and the string been performed on different instruments and as- being pushed aside by the cello. Its glory days, above than usual. A good tonal balance with the harpsichord instrument and, after the instrumental discordance, sumed various forms. The origins of all three sonatas all at the French court, already lay several decades in is thus attained. At the same time, in the close-knit restore musical harmony and agreement. The turbu- remain obscure. Only the first sonata has survived as the past. Bach liked the soft, warm intimate sound of structure of the works the steel strings provide the lent weather conditions match the music, which is full an autograph manuscript by Bach himself: as a trio the viola da gamba, and later made use of it in the St. necessary presence which could not be achieved with of exciting stories. The sonatas have an adventurous sonata for two transverse flutes and basso continuo. Matthew Passion in a unique and intimate way. But in a viola da gamba. Even though Altstaedt and Cohen life story, tracing the flow of moods from joi de vivre But even this is possibly not the original version. It is the viola da gamba sonatas too Bach no longer com- regard their way of performing the sonatas only as and deadly earnest, to the struggle for existence or re- possible that the sonata is based on a version for two posed typical virtuoso music for this instrument, as one possible alternative, they have perhaps created an bellion. In the closing fugue of the Third Sonata in G violins and basso continuo. The other sonatas were it was known from France, but gave the instrument “authentic” sound situation which adequately reflects minor Nicolas Altstaedt genuinely senses resistance. also not originally composed for viola da gamba. In equal status in a polyphonic movement. The music re- historic conditions. Bach wrote the works at precisely 4 5 the time when the cello was first beginning to have Nicolas Altstaedt Zurich, Munich and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestras Jonathan Cohen its breakthrough. He himself had experimented with Cello and the Radio Symphony Orchestras of Berlin, Frank- Harpsichord a violincello piccolo in instrumental passages in a few Born in 1982 of German-French parents, Nicolas Alt- furt, Stuttgart and Helsinki, as well as the Tchaikovsky Jonathan Cohen is one of Britain’s finest young musi- of his cantatas and sought a transition from the age of staedt was one of the last pupils of Boris Pergamen- Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductors cians. He has forged a remarkable career with notable the viola da gamba to the cello age. The use of a cello shikov at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler such as Sir Neville Marriner, David Zinman, Neeme success as a conductor, cellist and keyboardist. He is does not seem to Altstaedt to be an interference with Berlin. Altstaedt completed his studies with Eberhard Järvi, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir Andrew Davis, Michail well known for his passion and commitment to cham- the character of the work, even though from the point Feltz. Jurowski, Adam Fischer, Vladimir Fedosseev, Vladimir ber music which he expands to diverse activities such of view of fingering a few passages are more compli- After winning many prizes at international Ashkenazy, Mario Venzago, Dennis Russell Davies, An- as Baroque opera and the Classical symphonic reper- cated to play on the four-stringed cello than on the music competitions, in 2009 he was awarded a fellow- drea Marcon, Alexander Shelley and Andrej Boreyko. toire. He is Artistic Director of Arcangelo and Associate six-stringed viola da gamba. By contrast with the solo ship of the Borletti Buitoni Foundation and the 2010 He feels a deep commitment to contemporary Conductor of Les Arts Florissants. cello suits, which contain more fantasy-like moments, Dortmund Cultural Foundation Prize.