John Walsh's 1705 collection, 'Select Preludes and Vollentarys for the Violin', contained short pieces intended to improve a violinist's technique.
Performer Biography
Rachel Podger, described as 'the unsurpassed British glory of the baroque violin', was the first woman to receive the Royal Academy of Music / Kohn Foundation Bach Prize in 2015.
Historical Context
The 17th century saw many composers, often important violinists themselves, take up the challenge to write counterpoint for the seemingly monophonic violin.
Critical Reception
J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, has frustrated Bach scholars, with some questioning its authenticity due to its violinistic nature.
Compositional Technique
Scordatura, a re-tuning of the violin strings, was a common device used to expand the instrument's color palette and make it sound 'mysterious'.
Instruments
The Nogueira Manuscript, dating from around 1720, includes instructions for tuning the violin to a small Portuguese guitar called a Machinho for certain dances.
Compositional Technique
The album features a specially commissioned arrangement by Chad Kelly of J.S. Bach's famous organ Toccata and Fugue in D minor for solo violin.
