Gunar Letzbor - Bach: Violin Partitas (2014)

The violinist Gunar Letzbor is an established specialist in performing Austrian baroque music; in particular, he has intensively grappled with works of Biber, Muffat and Schmelzer, to name three examples. In so doing, he is constantly searching for a specifically Austrian baroque string sound. He has now turned his attention to the Sonatas and Partitas for Violin BWV 1001-1006 by Johann Sebastian Bach more or less the Mount Olympus of every violinist, whether he/she has specialised in historical performance practice or not. After having repeatedly performed these works in concerts and intensively occupying himself with them, Letzbor is now introducing them on CD. The first part of his complete recording with the three sonatas is now followed by Vol. II, the recording of the three partitas. In making it, he has pursued an unusual approach: he is presenting these works very directly, in a private setting, so to speak, allowing the listener to come closer to him than would ever be possible in the concert hall. Through the positioning of the microphones in direct proximity to the violin, the listener becomes a participant to a certain extent, and has the opportunity to perceive even the finest nuances.