Johann Sebastian Bach's time in Köthen, where he composed the Partita in D minor, is commonly considered the happiest period of his life, despite the death of his first wife, Maria Barbara Bach, in 1720.
Interpretation
Rebekka Hartmann, the violinist on this recording, interprets Bach's Chaconne in D minor as a 'danse macabre' or dance of death, viewing it as a sad farewell to his wife, Maria Barbara Bach.
Compositional Technique
Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Sonata for solo violin (1951) is his first twelve-tone composition, yet it incorporates the B-A-C-H motif into its final movement and sounds surprisingly 'tonal'.
Instruments
Rebekka Hartmann performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin made in 1703, which is provided by the German Foundation Musikleben.
Performer Biography
Rebekka Hartmann, the violinist on this album, has won numerous national and international awards, including the Jascha Heifetz Scholarship Prize in 2002 and first prize at the 'Pacem in Terris' competition in 2004.
Composition History
Paul Hindemith's Sonata for solo violin, Op. 11 No. 6, composed in 1917/18, demonstrates his growing interest in Bach's music, spanning from a Baroque-influenced beginning to almost atonal sections.
Interpretation
For Rebekka Hartmann, the Chaconne should not be performed playfully or virtuously; its immense technical difficulties should be downplayed to achieve an unusual, tranquil quality.
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