John Eliot Gardiner and his English Baroque Soloists, longtime authorities on the music of J.S. Bach, present Bach's Violin Concertos with soloist Kati Debretzeni, the Transylvanian violinist who has led the English Baroque Soloists since 2000. Alongside the concertos in A minor BWV 1041 and E major BWV 1042 are Wilfried Fischer's arrangement of the Harpsichord Concerto in D minor BWV 1052, as well as Debretzeni's own arrangement of the Harpsichord Concerto in E major BWV 1053.
Featuring
Kati Debretzeni
Sir John Eliot Gardiner
English Baroque Soloists
Johann Sebastian Bach
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Composition History
Musicologists are still debating whether Bach's concertos were composed during his time with Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen or later, while leading the Leipzig Collegium Musicum.
Performer Biography
Kati Debretzeni, the violinist on this recording, has led the English Baroque Soloists under John Eliot Gardiner since 2000 and is also a leader of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Recording & Production
The D minor concerto recording evoked memories of a previous Bach Cantata Pilgrimage performance where a fault in the Trost organ necessitated an impromptu recording session.
Interpretation
This recording pairs Bach's well-known violin concertos with two works borrowed from his harpsichord repertoire, reflecting Bach's own practice of re-imagining and re-arranging his music.
Critical Reception
The two violin concertos BWV 1040 and 1041 have remained popular since the mid-19th century Bach revival, as evidenced by numerous editions by celebrated violinists.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's violin concertos are characterized by exuberant invention and rhythmic energy in their outer movements, and profound intimacy in their slow movements.
Compositional Technique
The Concerto in E major, BWV 1042, features extended, repeated string-crossing passages that outline harmony rather than showcasing virtuosity, with the orchestra taking center stage.
