Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: Allegro
2. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: Largo
3. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: Allegro
4. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: Adagio
5. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major, BWV 1019: Allegro
6. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: Adagio
7. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: Allegro
8. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: Andante
9. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1014: Allegro
10. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: untitled
11. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: Allegro assai
12. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: Andante un poco
13. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 2 in A major, BWV 1015: Presto
14. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: Adagio
15. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: Allegro
16. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: Adagio ma non tanto
17. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 3 in E major, BWV 1016: Allegro
18. Sonata for violin & continuo in E minor, BWV 1023: Preludio
19. Sonata for violin & continuo in E minor, BWV 1023: Adagio ma non tanto
20. Sonata for violin & continuo in E minor, BWV 1023: Allemande
21. Sonata for violin & continuo in E minor, BWV 1023: Gigue

Disc 2:

1. Sonata for violin & continuo in G major, BWV 1021: Adagio
2. Sonata for violin & continuo in G major, BWV 1021: Vivace
3. Sonata for violin & continuo in G major, BWV 1021: Largo
4. Sonata for violin & continuo in G major, BWV 1021: Presto
5. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: Siciliano. Largo
6. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: Allegro
7. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: Adagio
8. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017: Allegro
9. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: Largo
10. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: Allegro
11. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: Adagio
12. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1018: Vivace
13. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a
14. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a
15. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a
16. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a
17. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a
18. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a
19. Sonata for violin & keyboard No. 6 in G major (variant), BWV 1019a: Cantabile

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57198 in Music
• Released on: 2001-01-09
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .27 pounds

Amazon.com
Rachel Podger's growing reputation among early-music enthusiasts is buttressed by this set of Bach's sonatas for violin and continuo. Her intonation is always on target, her tone sweet but not cloying. While she shares the understated interpretive stance of so many historically informed performers, she allows the emotions to shine through in, for example, the opening Largo of Sonata No. 5. And where the dancelike elements are to the fore, as in the Allegro of No. 6, she shows she can swing with the best. She's aided immeasurably by harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock, whose alert playing is enjoyable throughout. When Bach gives the continuo player his moment in the sun, as in the solo third movement of No. 6, he cuts loose with shapely playing that almost steals the show. So fans of current styles in early-music performance will enjoy this set, though they'll find more excitement in Andrew Manze's Harmonia Mundi set and in Fabio Bondi's on Opus 111. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews

Podger gets better and better
Rachel Podger, concertmaster of Trevor Pinnock's The English Concert, is a fresh and winning violinist. Her sound is warm and accurate, and this recording can be recommended. She is more straightforward and natural in these marvelous sonatas than Andrew Manze, who was not at his best in his recent HM version. But my numero uno choice still is Fabio Biondi and Rinaldo Alessandrini in OPUS111. The Italian dream team play like gods, and the superior OPUS111 sound make their version the most desirable of all.

Exceptional Sonata Recording
Two CD collection of Bach's Sonatas for violin and harpsichord. I have always been a great fan of the harpsichord, and here Pinnock is outstanding in is chamber music capability.

The resonance of Podger's instrument is wonderful, so full and throaty and lyrical. I especially like the spirited Allegro to Sonata No. 6, and Pinnock's harpsichord solo on the Allegro of that opening Sonata.

The complexities of Bach's composition are here richly interpretated with good tempo and balance. The Cantabile is wonderfully charming.

A great Bach collection.

An unexpected delight
Within the first minute of listening to this CD, one is immediately captivated by Rachel Podger's gorgeous tone and intonation - a truly mellifluous sonority that ranks with the finest. Her subtle phrasings, gentle-but-sparing vibrato and deft bowing technique combine to produce a sound that is effortlessly cantabile, highly refreshing and never tiring to hear. She shapes her melody lines with great artistry and elegance - producing a sonorities of pure delight. Plus, her intonation sounds superbly "in tune" - which sometimes cannot be said about some violin music (especially that with a period violin). You hear all of these fine artistic qualities too in her Bach solo violin partitas/sonatas recordings (Channel) - complex pieces of music that are not only very difficult to play but even more difficult to make sound beautiful. Rachel Podger makes all this music of Bach sound not only easy but unusually beautiful - where you can listen to the entire CD without feeling it is too much.

Equally adept at this music is the ever-competent Baroque master, Mr. Trevor Pinnock, who not only provides interesting accompanyment to Podger but especially shines in the spotlit keyboard runs and solos. In these he maintains a spirited progression and crisp articulations throughout that keeps one in rapt attention. His cembalo solo in the #6 allegro (track 3) is downright sexy and can make one want to jump up and dance. His harpsichord sound is exceptionally warm and inviting (as harpsichords go) and not "clancky" as some can be. I surprisingly loved it. This is important for listening to an entire CD featuring that instrument! If you normally do not warm to the sound of the harpsichord, you may be pleasantly surprized that you like Pinnock's harpsichord here. Both musicians maintain an ideal balance between them with a delightfull interaction throughout the music that never seems labored or monotonous. Not an easy task for such music featuring only two instuments over two CD's.

Sometimes it is hard to define what exactly makes a fine performance but you know it when you hear it - and this is one of those. This duo's playing is completely in synch and makes the music come alive in a very natural and enjoyable way. Together, they bring out more of a carefree exuberance and lyrical depth in this music that others might not plumb. Also, the sound quality is sparkling and realistic - really superb. This CD was highly rated by Gramophone and Penguin Guide who give high marks for this duo's marvelous performance. The other performance that gets high marks from many guides is the lively version by Biondi & Allessandrini on Op. 111 done with Biondi's characteristic Italian expressivity and panache ... but it is a hard CD to find. In short, this beautiful recording - one of Podger's finest - is a gem not to be missed by the Baroque lover.