Isabelle Faust plays Bach's Sonata No. 3 and Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin

Centuries after Bach’s death, in the church that now serves as his final resting place, Isabelle Faust pays an unforgettable tribute to the composer whose esteem among audiences, musicians, and scholars is probably unmatched by any other.

The acclaimed German violinist presents a deeply felt, flawlessly rendered performance of two monumental works from the Bach catalogue. Sonata No. 3 includes the longest and most intricate fugue ever written for solo violin, while the second Partita features the “Mount Everest” of violin repertoire: the concluding Chaconne, fifteen minutes of jaw-dropping virtuosity and heartrending emotion. These works, uniquely cherished in the classical canon, are unshakeable pillars in the legacy of the “father of music,” and in Faust’s capable hands, a heartfelt homage to his memory.

In Europe 300 years ago, only people of the highest political, noble or economic rank were buried in tombs with their names displayed. Even a musician of J.S. Bach’s stature was rarely afforded that privilege, and it wasn’t until 150 years after his death that his remains—found in an unmarked grave—were exhumed and transferred to a church. In 1950 they were finally moved to the Church of St. Thomas in Leipzig, the city where Bach lived and served as musical director for the final decades of his life…