Simone Lamsma - Part uber Bach - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Arabella Steinbacher presents works for violin and orchestra by Johann Sebastian Bach and Arvo Pärt, together with violinist Christoph Koncz and the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester. Bach's violin concertos have had a very special significance for Steinbacher ever since hearing the A Minor Concerto at the age of four, an experience that made her decide to become a musician. This seminal work is performed here alongside the E Major Violin Concerto and the Double Concerto in D Minor, on which she is joined by violinist Christoph Koncz. The Bach concertos are framed by two of Arvo Pärt's most profound and enigmatic pieces Fratres and Spiegel i'm Spiegel; the former in the version for violin, string orchestra and percussion, the latter rendered in a version for violin and piano, together with Peter von Wienhardt. Bach and Pärt may be centuries apart, but for Steinbacher, they have a spiritual and sacred origin in common, and their music resonates deeply with her. Arabella Steinbacher is a multiple award-winner with an extensive Pentatone discography, including Mozart's complete violin concertos (2014 and 2021), Four Seasons (Vivaldi & Piazzolla, 2020), Mendelssohn & Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos (2015) and many others. Christoph Koncz and the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester make their Pentatone debut.

The year 1736 was very important in the life of Bach he was conferred the title of Royal-Polish and Electoral-Saxon Court Composer. In that same year he composed the only two autographed sonatas for flute and obbligato harpsichord. Both sonatas came to us as a step of an elaborative process which could also have consisted of a diverse instrumentation. Such a practice was of inspiration in choosing two sonatas, originally conceived for other instruments, to be inserted in a project dedicated to the equal dialogue between flute and harpsichord. We have no certainties regarding the dedicatee for the autographed sonatas. The relationship with Dresden maintained by Bach in those years leads us to theorize that it might have been the flute virtuoso Pierre-Gabriel Buffardin, a close friend of the Bach family. The choice of the instrument for this recording is due to the eventful rediscovery in 2015 of the only known flute trademarked InchBUFFARDIN LES FILS.Inch A copy of it can be heard here for the first time. This particular instrument throws new light on the works that Alessandrini and Pontecorvo have selected to record after many concerts and recording projects with Concerto Italiano.

On Lento Religioso, Candida Thompson and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta bring together romantic works by Berg, Korngold, Bruckner, Bridge, Lekeu, Wagner and Strauss - each, each with a very specific expressive power of it's own. Some are genuine pieces for string ensemble, others are adaptations created for the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.