The Six Partitas were published together as Clavierübung I in 1731, followed by three more volumes, showcasing up-to-date keyboard skills.
Performer Biography
Asako Ogawa, the harpsichordist on this album, is a Japanese-born harpsichordist based in London who performs as a soloist and continuo player.
Composition History
Bach first announced his intention to publish a collection of clavier suites, starting with the first Partita, in 1726.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach integrated Italian and French dance titles, such as Corrente and Courante, into the Partitas, demonstrating a cosmopolitan display of fashionable dances.
Performer Biography
Asako Ogawa is a baroque repertoire coach at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and a regular performer at the London Handel Festival.
Composer Biography
Bach's Partitas are considered intimate and personal, possibly played at home by Bach himself or his family, as Partitas 3 and 6 were entered into Anna Magdalena Bach's Notebook II.
