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Partita No 2 in D minor, BWV1004
composer
1720; Cöthen; Sei Solo a Violino senza Basso accompagnato Libro Primo; first published in 1802
The Partita No 2 in D minor (BWV1004) is the best known of Bach’s six works for unaccompanied violin on account of its brilliantly sustained, imaginatively varied and architecturally magnificent Ciaccona. Like the B minor Partita, it begins with an Allemanda which on first acquaintance may seem a little lacking in geniality. This movement, along with the Corrente which follows it and the subsequent Giga, progresses in a single continuous melodic line, in which harmony provided by multiple stopping is almost entirely absent. The Sarabanda, by contrast, with its richly chordal passages gives the impression, to some extent illusory, of greater complexity. The mighty concluding Ciaccona, a 257-bar ‘morceau célèbre’ and veritable Goliath of the violin repertory, is built on a noble and declamatory theme upon which Bach develops sixty-four continuous variations, exploring a dazzlingly intricate range of harmonic possibilities. This is a movement of unfathomable subtlety, astounding virtuosity and great expressive and architectural beauty. Bach seems to have set himself incalculable challenges, sustaining his Chaconne with a major-key section, rhythmic diversity and a kaleidoscope of technical devices both pushing the boundaries of, and summarizing, we might say, the baroque violinist’s art.
from notes by Nicholas Anderson © 2009
La Partita no 2 en ré mineur (BWV1004) est la plus célèbre des six œuvres pour violon seul de Bach. Elle doit à sa Ciaccona brillamment soutenue, pleine d’une imagination diversifiée et magnifiquement construite. Comme la Partita en si mineur, elle commence par une Allemanda qui, à première vue, peut sembler manquer un peu de douceur. Ce mouvement, tout comme la Corrente qui le suit et la Giga subséquente, progresse en une ligne mélodique unique et continue, pratiquement dépourvue de l’harmonie provenant de l’emploi des cordes multiples. En revanche, la Sarabanda, avec ses passages richement harmoniques, donne l’impression, illusoire dans une certaine mesure, d’une grande complexité. La puissante Ciaccona conclusive, un «morceau célèbre» de deux cent cinquante-sept mesures, véritable Goliath du répertoire du violon, est construite sur un noble thème déclamatoire que Bach développe en soixante-quatre variations qui s’enchaînent, explorant une gamme audacieusement complexe de possibilités harmoniques. C’est un mouvement d’une subtilité insondable, d’une virtuosité incroyable et d’une grande beauté expressive et architecturale. Bach semble s’être donné à lui-même des défis impossibles à estimer, soutenant sa chaconne avec une section dans une tonalité majeure, une diversité rythmique et un kaléidoscope de procédés techniques qui repoussent à la fois les limites de l’art du violoniste baroque et, pourrait-on dire, le résument.
extrait des notes rédigées par Nicholas Anderson © 2009
Français: Marie-Stella Pâris
Die Partita Nr. 2 in d-Moll (BWV 1004) ist das berühmteste der sechs Bach’schen Werke für Violine solo, da hier die brillant kontinuierliche, phantasievoll variierte und architektonisch großartige Ciaccona vorkommt. Ebenso wie die h-Moll Partita beginnt auch dieses Werk mit einer Allemanda, die auf den ersten Blick vielleicht nicht übermäßig genial wirkt. Dieser Satz und die beiden folgenden, Corrente und Giga, fährt mit einer einzelnen, durchgehenden Melodielinie fort, in der ein harmonisches Gerüst mit Doppelgriffen praktisch abwesend ist. Die Sarabanda hingegen gibt mit ihren üppigen akkordischen Passagen den—teilweise illusorischen—Eindruck größerer Komplexität. Die mächtige abschließende Ciaccona, ein 257-taktiges „morceau célèbre“ und wahrhaftiger Goliath des Violinrepertoires, ist auf einem noblen und deklamatorischen Thema aufgebaut, worüber Bach 64 fortlaufende Variationen komponiert und dabei eine schillernd komplexe Palette harmonischer Merkmale präsentiert. Es ist dies ein Satz von unergründlicher Subtilität, außerordentlicher Virtuosität und einer besonderen ausdruckvollen und architektonischen Schönheit. Bach scheint sich hier unermessliche Ziele gesteckt zu haben: die Chaconne wird mit einer Dur-Passage aufrechterhalten, die rhythmische Vielfältigkeit und ein Kaleidoskop von technischen Stilmitteln dehnen einerseits, wenn man so will, die Grenzen des Barockgeigers aus und fassen sie andererseits auch wieder zusammen.
aus dem Begleittext von Nicholas Anderson © 2009
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel
Recordings
 Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for solo violinCDA67691/22CDs  The dazzling young virtuoso Alina Ibragimova has enthralled audiences with her live Bach performances. Critics have acclaimed her beautiful tone, superlative technique and a musical wisdom far beyond her years. Now, in this new recording of Bach’s ...» More |
 Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for solo violinCDD220092CDs Dyad (2 for the price of 1) — Archive Service ‘Elizabeth Wallfisch's deft articulation succeeds in getting to the heart of the music’ (The Strad) ‘This set would be a most tempting release at full price; at budget price it is irresistible’ (Soundscapes, Australia)» More |
 Fauré: Requiem; Bach: Partita, Chorales & CiacconaStudio Master: LSO0728Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available  During the 2011 City of London Festival, Tenebrae joined a chamber ensemble from the LSO at St Paul’s Cathedral for a performance of Fauré’s Requiem. The Requiem was preceded by a selection of Bach’s Chorales interspersed with his Partitia in D mi ...» More |
 Bach: Bach TranscribedStudio Master: SIGCD156Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available  From Wilhelm Kempff’s subtle resetting of Wachet Auf to Ferruccio Busoni’s virtuosic grandeur in the Violin Partita Chaconne, these performances by universally praised pianist Alessio Bax capture the reverence and resplendence of Bach’s music in t ...» More |
 Bach: Piano Transcriptions, Vol. 2 - Ferruccio BusoniCDA67324 ‘Nikolai Demidenko performs all the music here with admirable devotion … the playing throughout this enterprising recital cannot be faulted’ (BBC ... ‘Demidenko plays them all with great panache and limitless technical command, clearly relishing the vast array of colour that Busoni's fertile imagina ...» More |
 From the ground up – The chaconneStudio Master: SIGCD574Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available Originating as a sexy dance in South America, the ‘chacona’ crossed the Atlantic to Spain where it was banned from theatres for being ‘lascivious’, ‘dishonest’ and ‘offensive to pious ears’. This new album traces the dance's allure through the age ...» More |
 Inside tracks - the James Rhodes mix tapeSIGCD425Download only A selection of James Rhodes' personal favourites, tracks taken from his four earlier Signum albums.» More |
 Jimmy Rhodes Live in BrightonStudio Master: SIGCD308Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available This new album—recorded live at The Old Market theatre in Brighton—captures the energy of Rhodes in concert as he performs and entertainingly discusses works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninov and more in this 85-minute programme.» More |
 Razor blades, little pills and big pianosSIGCD153Download only 'Razor blades, little pills and big pianos' explores the emotive landscape that we call 'life'. This debut recording is somewhat of a biographical expression of James Rhodes’s complex and unorthodox journey. It was Bach, Beethoven and Chopin; not ...» More |
 The organ of St Bavo, HaarlemStudio Master: SIGCD546Download onlyStudio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available Housed in one of the most spectacular organ cases in the world, the colourful 1738 Christian Müller organ of St Bavo in the Dutch city of Haarlem is the perfect instrument for this all-German programme featuring works by Bach, Buxtehude and Mendel ...» More |
 Variations, Passacaglias & ChaconnesCDH88026Archive Service |
Details
Movement 1: Allemanda
Track 1 on CDA67691/2
CD2 [5'17]
2CDs
Movement 2: Corrente
Track 2 on CDA67691/2
CD2 [2'26]
2CDs
Movement 3: Sarabanda
Track 3 on CDA67691/2
CD2 [4'19]
2CDs
Movement 4: Giga
Track 4 on CDA67691/2
CD2 [3'26]
2CDs
Movement 5: Chaconne
arranger
arranger
Movement 5: Ciaccona
Track 5 on CDA67691/2
CD2 [14'10]
2CDs
arranger
arranger
author of text
and various other chorale-text snippets
Sarabanda
Artists
ISRC
GB-AJY-96-00919
Duration
3'16
Recording date
27 May 1996
Recording venue
Orford Church, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Recording producer
Martin Compton
Recording engineer
Antony Howell & Julian Millard
Hyperion usage
-
Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin (CDD22009)
Disc 2 Track 3
Release date: March 1997
Deletion date: October 2006
2CDs Dyad (2 for the price of 1) — Archive Service
