Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Sonatas for Violin Solo with Piano Accompaniment by Schumann (199

This CD presents the rarely recorded version of Johann Sebastian Bach's complete solo violin works with piano accompaniment by Robert Schumann. Schumann's piano accompaniment adds a conversational element to the music that I would have sworn I would never have associated with these works. It is a musical conversation across centuries between two great German masters. You should not be worried about Schumann taking over control from Bach - Schumann's added piano part is only accompaniment as the title indicates. Besides this recording emphasizes the violin in the sound picture and places the piano in the background. The playing is good but it doesn't reach John Holloways's (on ECM) metaphysical heights... well, maybe these musicians don't aim for those heights at all... it is more of a human interpretation.

Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Although he did not introduce new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France.

This 6CD collection features music from one of the greatest composers of all time including: the Brandenburg Concertos, Toccata & Fugue, Suite No. 1 for cello and many many more.