The Accompaniment in 'Unaccompanied' Bach : Interpreting the Sonatas and Partitas for Violin

Known around the world for his advocacy of early historical performance and as a skilled violin performer and pedagogue, Stanley Ritchie has developed a technical guide to the interpretation and performance of J. S. Bach's enigmatic sonatas and partitas for solo violin. Unlike typical Baroque compositions, Bach's six solos are uniquely free of accompaniment. To add depth and texture to the pieces, Bach incorporated various techniques to bring out a multitude of voices from four strings and one bow, including arpeggios across strings, multiple stopping, opposing tonal ranges, and deft bowing. Published in 1802, over 80 years after its completion in 1720, Bach's manuscript is without expression marks, leaving the performer to freely interpret the dynamics, fingering, bowings, and articulations. Marshaling a lifetime of experience, Stanley Ritchie provides violinists with deep insights into the interpretation and technicalities at the heart of these challenging pieces. Cover The Accompaniment in “Unaccompanied” Bach Title Copyright Contents FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Introduction 1—PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION Notation Polyphony Harmony Metre Dynamics Inequality Fingering Note Length Bow Direction Articulations Ornamentation 2—DANCE FORMS Allemanda Bourée/Borea Ciaccona Corrente Gavotte Gigue/Giga Loure Menuet Sarabanda/Sarabande Siciliana Double Preludio 3—ANALYTICAL METHODS AND EXERCISES G-Minor Adagio G-Minor Fuga D-Minor Allemanda 4—THE IMP ROVISATORY MOVEMENTS G-Minor Sonata: Adagio A-Minor Sonata: Grave 5—THE FUGUES G-Minor A-Minor C-Major 6—THE OSTINATO MOVEMENTS Partita II: Ciaccona Sonata III: Adagio 7—THE DANCELIKE MOVEMENTS Bourée and Borea Tempo di Borea B-Minor Corrente D-Minor Corrente Gavotte en Rondeau The Giga The Gigue The Loure The Menuets The Sarabande and Sarabanda The B-Minor Sarabande The D-Minor Sarabanda 8—THE VIRTUOSO MOVEMENTS G-Minor Sonata: Presto B-Minor Corrente—Double The A-Minor Finale The C-Major Allegro assai The E-Major Preludio 9—THE PHILOSOPHICAL MOVEMENTS The Allemanda B-Minor Partita D-Minor Partita 10—THE LYRICAL MOVEMENTS The Siciliana A-Minor Sonata: Andante The C-Major Sonata: Largo 11—RIGHT-HAND TECHNIQUE Polyphony Chordal Technique Martelé and Spiccato Sautillé Bariolage Ondeggiando 12—LEFT-HAND TECHNIQUE The Role of Vibrato Half-Position Choice of Fingerings Intonation Tuning Last Words BIBLIOGRAPHY