My New Favorite of an Old Masterpiece
Rebecca N. Caron | Taos, New Mexico | 11/30/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After listening to Garrett Fischbach's newly released 2 CD recording of the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin several times, it has now become my favorite recording of these masterpieces by Bach.
For the last 25 years my favorite recording of the unaccompanied Bach has been the one by Henryk Szering, released in 1968 (I owned both the original LP set and the 1996 CD) which I didn't think could be improved upon.
Garrett Fischbach's fresh and very personal view of this music gives an exciting new perspective to these pieces that have been around for over 250 years. His easy and accurate technique allow the full 3 part polyphony to come through without any of the technical struggles apparent on most recordings, with the exception of Heifitz. His choice of using Eudoxa gut core strings (not mentioned in the liner notes) is rare in these days of synthetic strings and gives his sound a very smooth and appropriate Baroque character.
Purists might criticize some of his personal interpretive choices such as his use of ponticello in the fugue of the G Minor Sonata, his occasional use of non-standardized ornamentation, or a few of his tempi, but after a few listenings I can't imagine it being done any other way. It is worth quoting from his personal liner notes: "While the study of antique style is enlightening, an attempt to recreate an `authentic' performance would be contrary to the inventive nature of this music, whose content easily transcends those issues."
All in all I must say this is the most enjoyable recording of unaccompanied Bach I have ever heard from beginning to end, not just because I made the violin used. I believe even people who are not big Bach fans will enjoy it.
David Caron, Violinmaker"
Desert island or anywhere else
Gavin G. Dillard | Ha'iku, HI | 05/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am a professional songwriter with a vast collection of music of every genre. Were I required to narrow it down to three CDs, I would pick Van Morrison's Astral Weeks, the Best of Dead Can Dance, and Fischbach's Sonatas and Partitas. This is a resoundingly flawless collection of impeccably and passionately rendered Bach masterworks. It has become my evening meditation; I would despair to live without it."
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1