bach senza basso

BACH senza BASSO

When an important violinist has reached the 4^th bar of

the 1^st Adagio in the 1^st Solo per Violino, he will

already have changed enough little things to put his

listener on a different footing.

B.’s music is about communication between equals,

but this violinist’s playing is about performing. He is a

colonialist, the score is his material now, and there is

no discussion allowed between him and his silent

customer.

Whereas you can imagine Bach’s playing - and he was

an excellent violinist - as the sermon of a minister in a

small German-protestant church speaking to everyone

personally, the violinist is singing about himself,

preferably in large premises, for the masses.

It has been three hundred years since these Solos

were composed and it feels almost like archaeology to

dig up the many undisturbed gems lying about, or

rather, standing up in front of us in those few pages

of the autograph. Great pleasure is awaiting those

who just give it a try, and it is best to stay out of

range of people who play awfully, but call themselves

‘authentic’, or something.

About the solo works for violin of Joh. Seb. Bach

Discussions about counterpoint for one solo-

instrument only - and how less can be more - and

about the role of the listener in all communication, and

how to suggest things which actually are not there,

and also about the uncanny memory of our customers.

But in the first place how not to make masterworks

sound like exercises.

Published (July 2012) and exclusively distributed by:

Bylsma's Fencing Mail, Utrecht, The Netherlands

88 pages, 29.7 x 21 cm, sewn paperbound;

ISBN 978-70-805674-0-5