Bach: Sonatas & Partitas cover

Bach: Sonatas & Partitas

Released

Bach’s six suites for unaccompanied violin are the lesser-known counterpart to his six suites for cello, which tend to crop up every time a classical-music-basics playlist is assembled. There is a great number of recordings of these, because most violinists have to learn them as a test of technical skill. Nathan Milstein’s set is a classic one, most worth listening to for his beautiful, velvet sound, which is unusually exposed in pieces like this. Of all of the pieces, the D-minor chaconne is the most extraordinary — 16 minutes of variations on a short theme with a full dramatic arc. Milstein is able to summon the solemnity, sweetness and electricity for which it calls.

Sean Wood

Suggestions
Jascha Heifetz plays Beethoven (Sonatas & Concerto) cover

Jascha Heifetz plays Beethoven (Sonatas & Concerto)

Ludwig van Beethoven, Jascha Heifetz
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77 cover

Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77

Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jascha Heifetz, Fritz Reiner
Farrenc: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3 cover

Farrenc: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3

Insula Orchestra, Laurence Equilbey
Vivaldi: L’Estro Armonico cover

Vivaldi: L’Estro Armonico

Brecon Baroque, Rachel Podger
The Glory of Gabrieli cover

The Glory of Gabrieli

E. Power Biggs, Texas Boys' Choir, The Edward Tarr Brass Ensemble, The Gregg Smith Singers, Vittorio Negri
Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring; Stokowski: Bach Transcriptions cover

Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring; Stokowski: Bach Transcriptions

Philadelphia Orchestra, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Bartók: The String Quartets cover

Bartók: The String Quartets

Emerson String Quartet
Choruses And Chorales From J.S.Bach: St Matthew Passion cover

Choruses And Chorales From J.S.Bach: St Matthew Passion

Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner
Rising w/the Crossing cover

Rising w/the Crossing

The Crossing, Donald Nally
Julius Eastman Vol. 1: Femenine cover

Julius Eastman Vol. 1: Femenine

Christopher Rountree, Wild Up