Winsome Evans Releases Bach Album

Leading early music expert Winsome Evans presents the final chapter in her ground-breaking project to transcribe and record Bach’s solo instrumental works for the harpsichord, with JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH a 3-CD recording of the Six Cello Suites and the Partita for Solo Flute, on ABC Classics.

Evans’ project, some 30 years in the making, is based on evidence that Bach himself played his solo instrumental works on the keyboard. This evidence includes the statement of a former student, that Bach often played the solo violin and cello works ‘on the clavier, adding as much in the nature of harmony as he found necessary’. The embellishments and harmonies added by Evans to the solo works are inspired by methods from Bach’s own time.

Quite apart from the historical justification, Evans was also motivated by a purely musical desire: ‘It was such a temptation to expand the repertoire of Bach, and make more of his music available for keyboard players.’

The first volume of transcriptions to be released – the Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin – have been described as ‘a musical masterpiece’ by German critical magazine Klassik.

Winsome Evans is one of Australia’s foremost early music academics and musicians, and has made numerous acclaimed recordings with her pioneering group the Renaissance Players. She was an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, received a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 1980, and in 1986 was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to music.

Album available 5 August 2016 | 3 CD digi | Digital Album | ABC 481 2901

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH 

CD 1
1–8. Cello Suite No.5 in D minor, BWV 1011
9–16. Cello Suite No.4 in F major, BWV 1010

CD 2
1–8. Cello Suite No.1 in G major, BWV 1007
9–16. Cello Suite No.3 in C major, BWV 1009
17–24. Cello Suite No.2 in D minor, BWV 1008

CD3
1–8. Cello Suite No.6 in C major, BWV 1012
9–13. Partita for Solo Flute in G minor, BWV 1013

Winsome Evans harpsichord