Bach: Viola Da Gamba Sonatas, Chorale Prelude BWV 731 / 645, Larghetto from BWV 972 – Francesco Galligioni

The fascinating musical itinerary proposed by two legendary Italian performers, i.e. gamba player Francesco Galligioni with harpsichordist Roberto Loreggian, touches the three great Gamba Sonatas by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 1027-9), along with shorter works, mainly excerpted from Bach’s sacred compositions. The three Sonatas are exquisite examples of contrapuntal thought and of its masterly treatment by Bach; they display energetic dance rhythms along with rigorous counterpoint and splendid polyphony. They are juxtaposed to Chorale Preludes, including two of the best loved in Bach’s entire output (i.e. Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme and Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier), and to a movement from Bach’s own transcription of a Vivaldi solo concerto. This entire programme, therefore, demonstrates on the one hand the unique features of the gamba and its potential in the fecund interaction with the harpsichord; on the other hand, it displays the fascinating abstractness of Bach’s underlying thought, which loses nothing when applied to another sound medium, and instead offers us constantly renewed opportunities for hearing well-known pieces with new ears.