Taught by renowned violinist
Adrian Butterfield
British violinist Adrian Butterfield walks us through Bach’s Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002. Butterfield explores the historical context of each of the dance movements, shares his advice on period performance, and discusses Bach’s harmonic structure.
Introduction
Bach's first partita is a dance suite. Butterfield discusses the structure of the partita, where each movement is followed by a variation (double). He delves into the dances' history and explains their influence on Bach's compositions.
I. Allemanda – Double
Butterfield explores the first movement of the partita - the Allemande. He examines the rhythmic material, the harmonic language, and Bach's written-out ornamentations. In addition, Butterfield discusses different aspects of period performance, such as playing on a baroque bow and gut strings.
II. Corrente – Double
Understanding the background of Bach's music is essential when playing it. Butterfield explains the evolution of the Corrente and analyses the second movement's rhythmic, harmonic, and sequential material. He continues to share his advice on the bow stroke and articulation of the presto.
III. Sarabande – Double
Butterfield discusses the cultural background of the Sarabande and its passionate character. He demonstrates using various bow strokes to create a desirable dance-like style. Butterfield encourages a sense of variety when choosing a stroke for the double as he experiments with playing it with the baroque and modern bow.
IV. Tempo di Borea – Double
The last movement of the partita is a light and lively dance. Butterfield points out the unusual marking of Tempo di Borea and suggests Bach's reasoning for choosing it. He moves on to discuss the slurs and the expressive intervals in the double.
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Unlock Course →Adrian Butterfield has gained an international reputation as a violinist, director and conductor who specialises in period performance of music from about 1600-1900 and is a Professor of Baroque Violin at the Royal College of Music in London
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