Bach Goldberg Variationen BWV 988 András Schiff C=256hz

I retuned this from A=440Hz down to the Scientific Pitch C=256Hz

"Since France has adopted a standard pitch, I advised that the example should also be followed by us; and I formally requested that the orchestras of various cities of Italy, among them that of the Scala [Milan], to lower the tuning fork to conform to the standard French one.

If the musical commission instituted by our government believes, for mathematical exigencies, that we should reduce the 435 vibrations of French tuning fork to 432, the difference is so small, almost imperceptible to the ear, that I associate myself most willingly with this.

It would be a grave, extremely grave error, to adopt, as proposed from Rome, a standard pitch of 450!!!

I also am of the opinion with you that the lowering of the tuning in no way takes away the sonority or liveliness of the execution; but gives on the contrary, something more noble, of greater fullness and majesty that the shrieks a too high tuning fork could give.

For my part, I would like a single tuning to be adopted in the whole musical world. The musical language is universal: Why then would the note which has the name ‘A’ in Paris or Milan have to become a B-flat in Rome?" -G. Verdi, 1881

Bach - Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor BWV 1004 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

‘Sei solo’… you’re on your own? In the days before ‘AutoCorrect’, spelling was mainly a question of feeling, especially in another language. But what if Bach deliberately did not write ‘Sei soli’ above his six violin solos?

 

What if he wanted to warn his soloist before sending them out on stage armed only with a bow, four strings and a few of his most difficult pieces in his head?

Recorded on November 28th 2015 at the Oude Dorpskerk, Bunnik.

Shunske Sato, violin

Bach - Violin Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

Partita no. 3, performed by Shunske Sato for All of Bach, is not a stand-alone piece. Bach was clearly delighted with this partita, and particularly with the first movement.

 

In 1729, Bach arranged this Preludio as an instrumental movement of a wedding cantata (BWV 120a) and as a festive overture at the start of the cantata BWV 29.

 

Furthermore Bach himself copied a version of the whole partita on two staves, which could be a simple keyboard piece, or maybe a suite for lute or theorbo.

Recorded for the project All of Bach 24th June 2019 at the Lichtfabriek, Haarlem.

 

Shunske Sato, violinist

Cornelius Kleynman ca. 1684, violin

Bach - Violin Partita no. 1 in B minor BWV 1002 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

Variations are placed explicitly in the foreground in Partita no. 1, performed here by Shunske Sato for All of Bach. It is the only partita in which each dance (each movement) is followed by a Double.

 

These Doubles are not literal replicas, however.

 

Bach continues working with the same harmonic material, but comes up with a different solution – for example with faster notes in the Courante.

Recorded for the project All of Bach on 23rd June 2019 at the Lichtfabriek, Haarlem.

Shunske Sato, violinist

Cornelius Kleynman ca. 1684, violin

Bach - Violin Sonata no. 1 in G minor BWV 1001 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

The first of Bach’s six solo works for violin exudes the most calm. This Sonata no. 1, performed by Shunske Sato for All of Bach, is written in the key of G minor.

 

On a violin, this key has a pure and stable sound, as the two lower strings (the G and the D) fit naturally in the root position triad without needing to use the fingers of the left hand.

 

The sonority of these low ‘open strings’ reverberates throughout the whole sonata.

Recorded for the project All of Bach on 24th June 2019 at the Lichtfabriek, Haarlem.

Shunske Sato, violinist

Cornelius Kleynman ca. 1684, violin

Bach - Violin Sonata no. 2 in A minor BWV 1003 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

In this Sonata no. 2, performed by Shunske Sato for All of Bach, Bach makes the unviolinistic violinistic, but also embraces what the violin does best anyway.

 

Even the Fugue and the Andante sound completely natural here, despite their polyphony that is so difficult to play well.

 

The Andante, in which the violinist accompanies himself with continually repeated notes below the melody, is a marvel of apparent straightforwardness.

 

And the spirited Allegro with its echo effects sometimes appears almost ironic in intent, and is cut out for the violin.

Recorded for the project All of Bach on 22nd June 2019 at the Lichtfabriek, Haarlem.

Shunske Sato, violinist

Cornelius Kleynman ca. 1684, violin

Bach - Violin Sonata no. 3 in C major BWV 1005 - Sato | Netherlands Bach Society

In this Sonata no. 3, performed by Shunske Sato for All of Bach, Bach appears to have been looking to Italy for inspiration.

 

The mysterious first Adagio, for instance, seems just like the opening of the Adagio of the oboe concerto by Marcello.

 

The monumental Fugue in this sonata is full of contrapuntal tricks. Although not exactly Italian, it has no German equivalent either.

Recorded for the project All of Bach 23rd June 2019 at the Lichtfabriek, Haarlem.

 

Shunske Sato, violinist

Cornelius Kleynman ca. 1684, violin