Rachel Podger teaches Bach: Works for solo violin and cello
Treasures of the Masterclass Media Foundation
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Cast
Rachel Podger — Teacher, violinist
Colin Scobie — Violinist (student)
Violeta Barrena — Violinist (student)
George Clifford — Violinist (student)
Hetti Price — Cellist (student)
Vladimir Waltham — Cellist (student)
Program notes
In this masterclass, Rachel Podger teaches her students famous works from the chamber music repertoire, composed by Bach, for violin and cello.
In the last 20 years, the British virtuoso Rachel Podger has made her name as one of the greatest classical and baroque music violinists. She holds numerous recordings to her name ranging from early seventeenth century to Mozart, and she is very familiar with Bach's music, as she recorded the Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, and the Sonatas for violin and harpsichord with Trevor Pinnock, both of them winning critical acclaim. Not only is she sucessful as a soloist, she is also a professor emeritus: baroque violin teacher at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, since 1995, and at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhaguen. In 2008, she took up the newly founded Micaela Comberti Chair for Baroque violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
In this masterclass, she presents two works by Bach. First, Partita No. 2 in D Minor, in five movements, particularly known for its fifth movement, the "Chaconne." Then, a very long and rich score, Bach's Partita No. 2, which requires a great musical sensitivity and virtuosity. It is a Major work of the solo violin repertoire of that time, just like the Partita No. 3 in E Minor, the last work in the set of six Sonatas and Partitas, and probably the most famous. Its prelude, prompt and technical, is the most played, with the famous Loure.
Composed between 1717 and 1723, the Six suites for unaccompanied cello are also presented, along with the Cello Suite No.3 in C Major and the Cello Suite No.5 in C Minor. Considered key works in the cello repertoire, they have been played by the greatest cellists. They are particularly recognized for their pedagogical value, as Bach included all the polyphonic characteristics of the instrument.
The Masterclass Media Foundation archives offer to students and music lovers around the world filmed masterclasses, given by the best talents, on the greatest works of the classical repertoire. Their primary purpose is to provide a valuable educational resource in order to perpetuate passion and knowledge from one generation to another.
