Unaccompanied Bach for solo violin.

[pastoralguy]

I've always been intrigued as to why certain prominent violinists have not taken the plunge and recorded these works whereas other players see them as being the centre of their repertoire.

For example, David and Igor Oistrakh and Isaac Stern were three prominent players whose solo Bach would have been indispensable. Of players still active, Pinchas Zukerman and Anne-Sophie Mutter have yet to stake their claim. Hilary Hahn has yet to complete her cycle after her outstanding debut disc. (I did ask her about this and she replied 'I prefer to have Bach in front of me than behind me' which seemed fair comment).

Many players including Menuhin, Kremer, Milstein and Mr. Heifetz recorded them more than once and in an era before this music was 'mainstream'. Some players record them very early in their careers whereas others such as Itzhak Perlman, Ida Haendel and, released last Friday, Kyung-Wha Chung leave it until later in life.

I'd appreciate others insights and comments.

[Richard Barrett]

All the violinists I know (and players of other suitable instruments too) play from these pieces almost every day, even if they never perform them in concerts. It's a kind of communion that goes on between Bach, the player and his/her instrument; I can see why Hilary and others might feel that recording them might seem to petrify something that otherwise is living and developing in their everyday life. In other words they are the centre of most players' repertoires but not necessarily in public. I am sure this was true of the Oistrakhs and Stern.

Happily, this is now repertoire that Baroque violinists are "taking the plunge" with. Personally I don't much care to listen to romanticised interpretations of these works when they sound so much more fluent played on an instrument with (crucially) a less curved bridge so that chords can be spread less aggressively. I think Amandine Beyer's is (so far) the benchmark recording, although Viktoria Mullova's semi-HIPP version is also highly pleasing.

[Richard Tarleton]

I've always been intrigued as to why certain prominent violinists have not taken the plunge and recorded these works whereas other players see them as being the centre of their repertoire.

I'd appreciate others insights and comments.

Just a comment I was going to say these two not mutually exclusive are they pg? Vengerov another case in Richard's point perhaps? BWV1004 certainly central to his concert repertoire. When I saw him play it in the Barbican an expert in the row behind was lecturing his companion on Vengerov's choice of bow - baroque, I believe.

Baroque - listening to Rachel Podger's 2002 recording which I only discovered this year has been a pleasure and revelation. My hand hovers between her and Mullova Mk 2 these days.

[silvestrione]

All the violinists I know (and players of other suitable instruments too) play from these pieces almost every day, even if they never perform them in concerts. It's a kind of communion that goes on between Bach, the player and his/her instrument; I can see why Hilary and others might feel that recording them might seem to petrify something that otherwise is living and developing in their everyday life. In other words they are the centre of most players' repertoires but not necessarily in public. I am sure this was true of the Oistrakhs and Stern.
.

What a striking observation, beautifully put!

Going from the sublime to the near-ridiculous, it is the same for me (and perhaps for you too Richard...though I don't bracket you in the 'ridiculous' bit, I hasten to say), in my case with 48 Preludes and Fugues, though on the piano, an instrument Bach may well not have liked.

[mikealdren]

Just a comment I was going to say these two not mutually exclusive are they pg? Vengerov another case in Richard's point perhaps? BWV1004 certainly central to his concert repertoire. When I saw him play it in the Barbican an expert in the row behind was lecturing his companion on Vengerov's choice of bow - baroque, I believe.

Baroque - listening to Rachel Podger's 2002 recording which I only discovered this year has been a pleasure and revelation. My hand hovers between her and Mullova Mk 2 these days.

Gil Shaham performed the whole set in a single Wigmore Hall earlier in the year. We had mixed feelings before the concert but in the event, it was magnificent, one of the most memorable concerts I have attended and he used a baroque bow! He's obviously been playing the works for years and his interpretations were very imaginative.

BTW Oistrakh did record the first sonata and it stands up very well as you might expect.

Mike

[BBMmk2]

What do Forum Members think of Rachel Podger's recording. I haven't listened to any other HIPP recordings yet, but will have a look at the one Richard Barrett mentioned. Sometimes I do rather like Itzhak Perlman's version despite it being rather 'romanticised'(!)

[Richard Tarleton]

BBM, Rachel Podger's version came out top in Berta Joncus's BAL of the Partitas in October 2008 (the BAL itself came in for some comment at the time, I seem to remember more for the treatment of some other versions than for the result )

I leave it to others for expert comment but I love it, as I said it's a toss-up between her and Mullova for my listening pleasure these days. The versions I've had longest are Josef Suk (on LP, since the late 60s) and Milstein (DG, 1975).

[BBMmk2]

Thanks RT! Ah yes Milstein! That's another one to look at of "the old school".

[hafod]

For years I revered Grumiaux and Milstein in Bach's sonatas/partitas - still do - but not as much now that I have Podger and Ibragimova. Choice between these two depends on mood.

[Keraulophone]

Going from the sublime to the near-ridiculous, it is the same for me ... in my case with 48 Preludes and Fugues, though on the piano, an instrument Bach may well not have liked.

I thought I was doing ok, regularly communing at the piano with a couple of these after breakfast, until I realised that the likes of John Butt and Andras Schiff feast on an entire book daily!

[silvestrione]

I thought I was doing ok, regularly communing at the piano with a couple of these after breakfast, until I realised that the likes of John Butt and Andras Schiff feast on an entire book daily!

What! Too much surely. Was it Ralph Kirkpatrick in his book on them that said you should not perform a whole book at a concert because it was literally 'too much', impossible to take in. I aim for one or two, or three or four on a free morning. Started learning them when i retired 10 years ago, and have not yet quite started Book 2!

[Barbirollians]

KWC's new recording of the unaccompanied sonatas and partitas has just dropped through the letterbox today - anyone heard it yet ?

[mikealdren]

Looks like you're the first. I'm very interested in your views although I can't see me buying yet another set!

[HighlandDougie]

KWC's new recording of the unaccompanied sonatas and partitas has just dropped through the letterbox today - anyone heard it yet ?

Apologies for not finding his post but PG - who referred to this issue in starting the thread - commented on it in "What are you listening to now?" a little while ago. I don't think that I imagined it (but maybe I did, in which case I'll shut up).

[pastoralguy]

KWC's new recording of the unaccompanied sonatas and partitas has just dropped through the letterbox today - anyone heard it yet ?

I very much looked forwarded to it but, alas, was quite disappointed. Frankly, her left hand is no longer up to the cruel demands of Bach's writing. Her intonation is just not in the middle of the note. After listening to some very top class players such as Ibraginova, Kremer and Mr. Heifetz her faults are all to apparent.