Bach (De)constructed
“Music owes as much to Bach as religion to its founder.”
— Robert Schumann
Behold, the first page of the manuscript of some of the most famous and beloved works ever written for solo violin: the 6 Sonatas and Partitas by Johann Sebastian Bach. These are pieces I have been living with virtually on a daily basis for the past 30 years. They never cease to amaze me in their beauty, and in the endless layers of complexity to discover.
I feel that the time is right for me to share my version with a larger audience, and therefore I’m beginning a live video recording project in six locations, which I will release individually in 2025, the year that marks my 40th anniversary of playing the violin.
Even when I make studio recordings, it’s my goal to use the longest takes possible, to best simulate live playing. Nothing can replace the experience of a live concert; the feeling of spontaneity, the collaboration between the performing artist and its listeners, all sharing the same space and time yet each experiencing the music individually. My wish is to best capture that energy on camera, so that viewers across the world can have the same experience as those listening in person.
Will you join me? If you happen to be living in the Netherlands, you can come to one of my live sessions and be a part of the experience firsthand. Otherwise, you can join the worldwide audience who will see the videos as they appear next year.
The dates so far:
March 12, Grote Kerk in Zwolle (20:00)
Concert performing 3 of the 6 solo works
March 29, Grote Kerk in Zwolle (15:00)
Concert performing the other 3 works
April 12, Waalse Kerk in Zwolle
Recording 1
May 21, Muziekhaven in Zaandam
Recording 2
Keep checking this page for more information in the coming weeks!
— Sarah Kapustin