Andrej Kurti - Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin (2024)

The sonatas and partitas for solo violin (BWV 1001–1006) are a set of six works composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. They are sometimes referred to in English as the sonatas and partias for solo violin in accordance with Bach's headings in the autograph manuscript: "Partia" (plural "Partien") was commonly used in German-speaking regions during Bach's time, whereas the Italian "partita" was introduced to this set in the 1879 Bach Gesellschaft edition, having become standard by that time. The set consists of three sonatas da chiesa in four movements and three partitas (or partias) in dance-form movements. The 2nd Partita is widely known for its Chaconne, considered one of the most masterly and expressive works ever written for solo violin.

The set was completed by 1720 but was not published until 1802 by Nikolaus Simrock in Bonn. Even after publication, it was largely ignored until the celebrated violinist Joseph Joachim started performing these works. Today, Bach's Sonatas and Partitas are an essential part of the violin repertoire, and they are frequently performed and recorded.

The Sei Solo a Violino senza Basso accompagnato (Six Solos for Violin Without Bass Accompaniment), as Bach titled them, firmly established the technical capability of the violin as a solo instrument. The pieces often served as archetypes for solo violin pieces by later generations of composers, including Eugène Ysaÿe and Béla Bartók.

Tracklist
01. Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: I. Adagio
02. Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: II. Fuga
03. Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: III. Siciliana
04. Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: IV. Presto
05. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: I. Allemanda
06. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: II. Double
07. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: III. Corrente
08. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: IV. Double
09. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: V. Sarabande
10. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: VI. Double
11. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: VII. Tempo di Borea
12. Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: VIII. Double
13. Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: I. Grave
14. Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: II. Fuga
15. Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: III. Andante
16. Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: IV. Allegro
17. Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: I. Allemanda
18. Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: II. Corrente
19. Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: III. Sarabanda
20. Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: IV. Giga
21. Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Ciaccona
22. Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: I. Adagio
23. Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: II. Fuga
24. Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: III. Largo
25. Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: IV. Allegro assai
26. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: I. Preludio
27. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: II. Loure
28. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: III. Gavotte en Rondeau
29. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: IV. Menuet I
30. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: V. Menuet II
31. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: VI. Bourrée
32. Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: VII. Gigue