Back to Bach...

After quite a long period of silence, I am so glad to be able to write something again here... It's been (and still is in a way) a difficult period for me. And, at times such as these, one realises the importance of music - the healing power that emanates from the beauty of sound.
The only thing that I really wanted to practise during this period was JS Bach. I am working on the 2nd English Suite (in A minor) which is, in my view, the best of the set. I played it 5 years ago, and I always wanted to play it again. This is the thing with Bach's music: one never grows tired of it; sooner or later, one will come back to it.

The 2nd Suite is a very demanding piece of music, one has to keep the tempo in absolute control, especially in the long introductory prelude. There are some really fascinating moments: the slow, thoughful Sarabande, the playful Bourre II, the exciting Gigue... Let's hope that I'll be able to play it in public soon.

Here is Bouree I and II and the final Gigue, played by Anatoly Vedernikoff in a really excellent recording. I don't know many things about him except that he was a good friend with Richter.