Holloway Conquers Bach
M. De Sapio | Alexandria, VA | 04/21/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Only a handful of "period" violinists have ventured to record the complete unaccompanied violin works of Bach, with mixed results; this version from John Holloway (playing on a Guarneri violin) is a resounding success. Holloway (born in 1948) is one of the finest baroque violinists alive. He produces a steady, austere tone of almost supernatural purity, letting every note ring out with a fruity resonance. Holloway lets the music unfold with dignity and quiet intensity, never stooping to mannerisms or exaggerated effects. This recording is the result of a lifetime's experience, not only with Bach's violin solos, but with baroque music in general. As he explains in his personable liner notes, Holloway views these works from the standpoint of their past (from the music Bach grew up with and was interested in) rather than their "future". Indeed, Holloway's experience with 17th-century music is evident in his Bach playing: it shows in the fast movements in continuous sixteenth notes, where he unfurls the figurations rather like the fantastic divisions in sonatas by Schmelzer and Biber; or in slurred ornamental figuration, which is tossed off into the air (exactly as it should be, pace Edith Eisler).
While I'm at it, a "review of the review" seems in order. First, Eisler is incorrect when she says that Holloway breaks all the chords upwards; in fact, he occasionally breaks them downwards (albeit in a convincing and tasteful way) where the moving voice is on the bottom. Second, far from being "excessively improvisatory", Holloway's preludes have an ornamental freedom inhering within the bounds of a steady pulse - essential for interpreting this type of movement. And is it possible that what Eisler hears as "jerky, uneven rhythms" and "long pauses in between phrases" is Holloway's tastefully applied rubato, aimed at bringing out the implied counterpoint in a single line of music? Finally, a word about the acoustic. As a customer has noted, it is reverberant, but this aids in projecting the polyphony of the pieces: certain notes hang in the air, to be answered by another voice chiming in below. Besides, it allows Holloway's tone to rise like incense to heaven."
Audition before purchase
Bruce Cassidy | Toronto, Canada | 10/18/2007
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I've just started listening to this CD set and love the playing so far but the recording suffers terribly from the decision of too much reverberation. I haven't read the liner notes but I'm really disappointed in this aspect of the recording. It is the result of an over-reverberant venue or digital addition but it has the effect of running the notes together. Way over the top for a solo instrument, and Bach particularly. This aspect of the recording process removes much of the angularity and power and makes the music sound sickly sweet. The other reviewers haven't minded this but I find it very annoying."
A personal comparison of various recordings of Bach's Partit
Rasmus Oerndrup | Copenhagen, Denmark | 03/12/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I have only been listening to nine different recordings of these works, so I am in fact a complete novice in the field (and no musicologist at all), all the same I will try to give short comments on these nine interpretations that just might help you to choose which set you want to buy.
My personal favourite is no doubt John Holloway's recording (on ECM). When I first heard it I had only been listening to Shlomo Mintz (on DG) and Hilary Hahn (on Sony), so I feared the great Ciaccona/Chaconne of BWV 1004, because both of those artists' interpretations of that movement sounded like musical warfare, full of shrieks and noises. But Hallelujah! Guess what happened? The movement made sense to me for the first time - in Holloway's hands it is actually music! And the rest of the set also sparkles in Holloway's recording. What is so special about Holloway's version is that it has an almost spiritual, metaphysical aspect to it that nobody else achieves. It is a recording full of sublime transcendental beauty. That aspect of course is emphasized by the wonderful church acoustics (another great Manfred Eicher production from ECM). The booklet contains a performer's note and a few facsimile pages of Bach's beautiful handwritten score. If you are looking for just one recording, you don't really have to read further - I recommend that you buy Holloway's set.
If you have not bought Holloway's set yet, I have to say a little more about Mintz and Hahn: The aggressive approach in Mintz' Ciaccona/Chaconne is more or less present throughout Mintz' recording and in my opinion his playing does not quite justify it - it is "agitated" without having a reason to be so. If you want the sort of expressive power which Mintz is trying to put into these works Nathan Milstein (on DG) is a better option (NB: There is an earlier recording from EMI which I am not reviewing here). The problem with Hahn is that you are more impressed than moved; she plays fast - some might even say that she is superficial and skates over the essentials. Hahn also has a tendency to romanticize in the slow movements. Besides it is not a complete recording, she only plays half the works (BWV 1004, 1005 and 1006). However, her version of BWV 1006 is probably my favourite because of its exquisite, exuberant brilliance that fits that partita well.
Sigiswald Kuijken (on DHM) is almost as good as Holloway and he almost reaches Holloway's metaphysical heights, but his Ciaccona/Chaconne is not entirely perfect, it sounds like separate movements put together rather than as a whole. The performance has rougher edges than Holloway's, which can be a good thing. (NB: I am reviewing the 2001 release from DHM not the earlier release on the same label.)
Viktoria Mullova (on Onyx) and Rachel Podger (on Channel) are more down to earth than Holloway, but they both play beautifully. Maybe Podger is a somewhat overrated performer of Bach's music for solo violin. Her recording has been praised by numerous critics and it is so beautiful that I would like to like it more, but isn't it just a little bit boring? I am listening to it right now and again I get this sort of feeling: "Yes, it is beautiful, but why am I listening to it?" That question answers itself when I listen to Holloway or Kuijken. With Kuijken and Holloway playing the music explains itself, it says: "I will just explain how this sounds." If you are looking for clarity and serenity choose Mullova. Make sure you buy the new Onyx set not the old Philips release!
If you want the slow movements played slow and the rest played beautifully by a young talented violinist Julia Fischer (on Pentatone) should be your choice.
Henryk Szeryng's first recording (on Sony) from 1955 is very serious and intense, a haunting (but also demanding) experience. Szeryng later made another recording for DG but I have not heard it (yet). Of course you should expect less than perfect sound on a recording that is more than fifty years old.
Mullova, Kuijken, Podger and Holloway play period instruments.
Szeryng, Mintz, Milstein, Hahn and Fischer play modern instruments.
"
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1