Four Strings Only: A Recital for Solo Violin - Herwig Zack

Violinist Herwig Zack, who produced a compelling and imaginative solo recording with Essentials (AV 2155), follows with an equally inspired recital that casts the spotlight on the “four strings only” of his unaccompanied violin. With J. S. Bach providing the foundations on which arguably all solo violin repertoire was created, Zack places the composer’s Second Sonata at the heart of the programme and surrounds it with four mid-20th century works which were indelibly inspired by the Baroque master. The two Solo Suites by Ernest Bloch were among his last works, and find Bach’s personality lurking in the Swiss composer’s modern polyphony and harmony. Israeli composer Ben-Haim’s Solo Sonata blends neo-Classical elements with an Eastern Mediterranean exoticness, whilst Berio’s Sequenza VIII is an overt homage to Bach’s Solo Partita in D minor, specifically the celebrated chaconne.


Ernest BLOCH (1880-1959)
Suite No. 2 for violin solo (1958) (11:43)
1. Energico, deciso (3:22)
2. Moderato (2:31)
3. Andante (2:42)
4. Allegro molto (3:08)

J S BACH (1685-1750)
Sonata No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003 (23:06)
5. Grave(4:14)
6. Fuga (7:53)
7. Andante (5:11)
8. Allegro (5:48)

BLOCH
Suite No. 1 for violin solo (1958) (11:29)
9. Prelude (2:48)
10. Andante tranquillo (2:57)
11. Allegro (1:40)
12. Andante (1:22)
13. Allegro energico (2:42)

Paul BEN-HAIM (1897-1984)
Sonata in G for violin solo (1951) (16:02)
14. Allegro energico (6:22)
15. Lento e sotto voce (5:15)
16. Molto allegro (4:25)

Luciano BERIO (1925-2003)
17 Sequenza VIII per violino solo (1976) (14:18)