Catalogue

Summary:

“Owen approaches the dance rhythms with rigour; every tempo feels carefully judged, and this is matched with ideal structural awareness, the paragraphs and their twists and turns gently delineated as if in conversation. Nothing is exaggerated: Owen applies the characterisations with subtlety, as if pointing them out rather than projecting them towards any nominal balcony and controlling them chiefly through minute adjustments of tone” – BBC Music Magazine ★★★★

“Technical polish, intelligent musicianship, well-reasoned tempi, and scrupulously executed ornaments characterise Charles Owen’s Bach Partitas, along with a rounded and focused sonority largely informed by finger power and hand balance, with a little help from the sustain pedal” – Gramophone

“I have only once in my life listened to all six Partitas played on a single evening, [and] the sense of a journey, of being on a pilgrimage, was extraordinary.” So says pianist Charles Owen regarding this set of compositions by J.S. Bach that are amongst the greatest literature for the keyboard.

Tracklist:

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)
The Six Keyboard Partitas

CD 1 (70.02)

Partita No. 1 in B-Flat Major, BWV 825 (18.42)
1. I. Praeludium (1.57)
2. II. Allemande (3.17)
3. III. Corrente (2.55)
4. IV. Sarabande (5.26)
5. V. Menuets I & II (2.55)
6. VI. Gigue (2.14)

Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826 (19.48)
7. I. Sinfonia (4.34)
8. II. Allemande (4.22)
9. III.  Courante (2.21)
10. IV. Sarabande (3.22)
11. V. Rondeaux (1.33)
12. VI. Capriccio (3.36)

Partita No. 4 in D Major, BWV 828 (30.51)
13. I. Ouverture (5.44)
14. II. Allemande (8.36)
15. III. Courante (3.14)
16. IV. Aria (2.11)
17. V. Sarabande (5.35)
18. VI. Menuet (1.33)
19. VII.  Gigue (3.58)

CD 2 (72.58)

Partita No. 3 in A Minor, BWV 827 (19.47)
1. I. Fantasia (1.57)
2. II. Allemande (3.35)
3. III. Corrente (2.57)
4. IV. Sarabande (4.12)
5. V. Burlesca (2.26)
6. VI. Scherzo (1.15)
7. VII. Gigue (3.25)

Partita No. 5 in G major, BWV 829 (20.13)
8. I. Praeambulum (2.22)
9. II. Allemande (4.05)
10. III. Corrente (1.39)
11. IV. Sarabande (4.24)
12. V. Tempo di Minuetto (1.53)
13. VI. Passepied (1.43)
14. VII. Gigue (4.07)

Partita No. 6 in E Minor, BWV 830 (32.53)
15. I. Toccata (7.39)
16. II. Allemande (3.41)
17. III. Corrente (4.39)
18. IV. Air (1.21)
19. V. Sarabande (7.11)
20.  VI. Tempo di Gavotta (2.13)
21. VII. Gigue (6.09)

Recorded 17 – 19 December 2015, 16 – 17 April 2016 & 4 – 5 June 2016, The Menuhin Hall, Yehudi Menuhin School, Cobham, Surrey, UK
Producer: Alexander Van Ingen
Recording engineer & editing: Dave Rowell