Les Sei Solo a Violino senza Basso accompagnato composés vers 1720 à Köthen font partie des œuvres les plus profondes et inépuisables, non seulement du répertoire pour violon seul, mais encore de toute la musique occidentale. L’interprète y est entièrement sollicité et exposé, tant techniquement que spirituellement. Bob van der Ent, comme la plupart des violonistes désormais, joue avec un archet baroque sur des cordes en boyau : il revendique la légèreté du pinceau et une sonorité aussi proche que possible de la voix humaine. Son approche est posée et réflexive bien plus que virtuose. L’intonation est parfois un peu tendue et, techniquement, d’autres violonistes séduisent davantage. Mais c’est dans la construction d’un cheminement intérieur et recueilli à travers chaque œuvre que van der Ent convainc et touche. Dans la 1ère Partita, par exemple, prenant son temps, il construit une très belle méditation. Et puis, choix bienvenu : la 2e Partita est volontairement placée après la 3e Sonate, afin que la cosmique Chaconne soit directement suivie par le joyeux jaillissement de la 3e Partita. L’enregistrement, réalisé à Hilversum en 2019, est splendide. (Emmanuel Lacoue-Labarthe) It was not until I picked up my violin and played a few movements of solo Bach, one winter's evening at home, that the essence of the composer finallypermeated my being. I felt an almost mystical unity with the music that I'd never experienced before. Because there are already so many fabulousrecordings of Bach, I asked myself "What can I still add to this?" What surprised me, however, was that the wide diversity of approach was actually agreat source of inspiration to me rather than being in any way off-putting. Apparently, the possibilities of Bach's music are inexhaustible. This is whatgave me the courage I needed to issue a new recording.To me, the narrative power of Bach's music means that it can sound like new in every era and in every performance. People's opinions of Bach areconstantly changing and will continue to do so in the future. My recording of Bach is an interpretation of my vision of his music up until now, and I havestriven for authenticity by remaining true to my personal vision, without making it a predominant feature.For years now, I have been playing a violin that is very dear to me; an instrument by Jean Baptiste Vuillaume from 1828. It is modelled afterStradivarius and its tonal design is typical of 18th century instruments, with a wide palette of colours. Using gut strings on this instrument, especially forBach, adds a great deal of clarity to the sound, a richer range of overtones and a warmer sound that more closely approximates the human voice.Finally, a Baroque bow offers many more options for the expression I'm seeking. It's a bow that feels like a fine paintbrush, helping me to paint themusic, as it were, in great detail.
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