Isabelle Faust, Kristian Bezuidenhout

In the generation before Bach, they were the masters of their instruments: the harpsichordists Johann Jakob Froberger and Louis Couperin, and the violinist Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber. Their imaginations and phenomenal technical skills were mutually inspiring. Froberger received his distinctive training in Italy, but gradually acquired French influences. His art of synthesis was an inspiration for Bach. Biber also modelled his legendary virtuosity on Italian standards, but far exceeded them. His Passacaglia in G minor, composed as an epilogue to the “Mystery Sonatas”, is the masterpiece of this type of composition prior to Bach’s famous Chaconne in D minor.

According to their compositional structure, Bach’s six sonatas are trio sonatas. The violin and the right hand of the harpsichordist concertize as upper voices, which are often interwoven or set in counterpoint against each other. The different keys represent the fundamentally disparate characters of the sonatas. The compilation of six works as a volume corresponded to a publication practice that was maintained for a long time. In Bach’s case, it also meant that a small compendium of the expressive possibilities, art of playing and the compositional diversity of the genre was passed on to contemporaries and recorded for posterity.

Johann Sebastian Bach [1685-1750]
Sonata No. 4 for violin and harpsichord in C minor BWV 1017 [ca. 1725]

Johann Jakob Froberger [1616-1667]
Suite for harpsichord in C major BWV 612a [1656]

Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonata No. 5 for violin and harpsichord in F minor BWV 1018 [ca. 1725]

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber [1644-1704]
Passacaglia for solo violin in G minor [1678]
from the Rosary Sonatas

Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonata No. 2 for violin and harpsichord in A major BWV 1015 [ca. 1725]

Johann Sebastian Bach [1685-1750]
Sonata No. 3 for violin and harpsichord in E major BWV 1016 [ca. 1725]

Louis Couperin [1626-1661]
Prélude and Passacaille in C major
from the Pièces de Clavecin No. 10 and No. 27

Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonata No. 1 for violin and harpsichord in H minor BWV 1014 [ca. 1725]

Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber
Sonata No. 5 for violin and harpsichord in e minor [1681]

Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonata No. 6 for violin and harpsichord in G major BWV 1019 [ca. 1725]

Isabelle Faust violin
Kristian Bezuidenhout harpsichord