If at first thought the repertoire for unaccompanied solo violin may seem uninviting to you, don’t let this prejudice fool you. The music presented here is masterfully beautiful and rich in noble, poignant melodies and emotions. If the absolute masterpiece of the genre is Bach’s cycle of Sonatas and Partitas, BWV 1001-1006, the treasures revealed by Isabelle Faust in this album, aptly named Solo, are no less deserving. A Fantasia by Matteis and a Sonata by Pisendel, which Bach would not have disdained to have in his own catalogue, are highlights of the album in terms of discoveries. Other pieces, by Guillemain (a pupil of Jean-Marie Leclair) and Vilsmayr, although lighter, are still rich enough in detail to appeal to the most demanding of purists. And then there is that exceptional monument, surpassed only by Bach (and even then): Biber’s Passacaglia from his remarkable cycle of Rosary Sonatas. A single, simple instrument, but such magnificence. It’s crazy, but that’s what real, great music is all about.
Latest 360 Content
Interview Rock
Alex Henry Foster Talks About Overcoming Death and his new album, Kimiyo
By Stephan Boissonneault
Interview Classical/classique
Information: Montreal Oct. 1970 by Tim Brady: a first opera about the October ’70 Crisis
By Frédéric Cardin
Album review Electronic/Hip Hop/hyperpop 2024
Single of the Day: Kaya Hoax ft. Magi Merlin “Hot Girls with ADD”
By Stephan Boissonneault
Album review Americana/Pop
Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poet Department: The Anthology
By Alain Brunet
Album review classique/musique traditionnelle/Classical/trad québécois 2024
Karina Gauvin – Marie Hubert : Fille du Roy
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview Folk/Americana/Rock/hyperpop
P’tit Belliveau Talks About His New Album, Frogs, and Income Tax
By Stephan Boissonneault
Interview Rock/Electronic/Experimental / Contemporary/expérimental / contemporain/Pop
At Annie-Claude Deschênes’ table: between utensils & sound experimentation
By Louise Jaunet
Concert review
Université de Montréal | Jean-François Rivest’s Grandiose Farewell
By Elena Mandolini
Interview classique/Jazz/Classical
OSL | Naomi Woo | Musique du Nouveau Monde
By Alexandre Villemaire
Album review classique/Jazz 2024
Nadia Labrie – Flute Passion – Claude Bolling : Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio
By Frédéric Cardin
Album review Classical/classique 2024
David Jalbert – Prokofiev : Piano Sonatas vol. II
By Frédéric Cardin
Interview Rock/Electronic/Pop/Jazz