Since the mid-1980s, Frank Peter Zimmermann has earned recognition as one of the world’s leading violinists, admired not only for his technical skill and interpretive intelligence, but also for his versatility in a wide-ranging repertoire. His extensive discography ranges from Bach concertos and Beethoven sonatas to works by composers such as Martinu, Ligeti, Magnus Lindberg and Brett Dean. He waited until the fourth decade of his career, however, to take on Bach’s Sei solo a Violino senza Basso accompagnato, the six sonatas and partitas for solo violin. The first disc (BIS-2577) dedicated to this absolute pinnacle in the repertoire for the instrument was released in February 2022 to great critical acclaim. Now comes the much-awaited conclusion to this collection. Zimmermann compares these works to ‘a mighty tree, which protects me and crushes me at the same time’, the music giving him hope and strength at the same time as it confronts him with his limits as a violinist. On this new release, he now offers us the Sonata No. 1 in G minor, as well as the B minor Partita No. 1 and the Sonata No. 3 in C major.
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Reviews
“… This is an important addition to the Bach solo violin discography. Strongly recommended.”
Jerry Dubins – Fanfare – January/February 2024
“… the beauty of sound he draws from his 1711 Strad: soft, warm and at ease in its period-influenced straight tone, yet allowing gleams of vibrato to shine from time to time. You could happily sit down with these performances and let them flow over you.”
Lindsay Kemp – Gramophone magazine – December 2023
“…This is masterly playing of music full of challenges and pitfalls, lucidly argued and often poetically felt…”
Nicholas Anderson – BBC Music magazine – Christmas 2023
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