What I love about Francescatti is that his sound is so instantly recognizable. It's so overly romantic and full of drama, completely different from the more staid conformist approach these days. While I appreciate historically informed interpretations for bringing us another way to listen to the music, I'm sure Bach himself would scoff at the idea that there is such a thing as an authentic or definitive interpretation of any of his compositions. And while the interpretation here is most definitely over the top, there's nothing wrong at all with Francescatti's playing; it's magnificent.
Not over the top. The Partitas were written because Bach was given a commision by a wealthy man who also played the violin. Bach was told to write whatever he wished without any technical constainsts suffered by the present state of violin virtuosity. In fact they were only first perfomed by Joachim, who was said to chop and hack his way through them. Bach would be thrilled with this perfomance.
@@jameswilson6189 Fascinating! Where did you find this info? (I admit I am mildly dubious due to having listened to Joachim's Adagio gm, which is not exactly hacking.)
Magnificent, magistral interpretation! I feel this is the best version of the Chaconne I have ever heard. The sound comes from the Stradivarius that Francescatti owned, which I read belongs to the last decade of the luthier's production, the "Thunis" instrument from 1728, also played by Paganini. Hearing Francescatti pllay makes it easy to believe that there never was a better violin.
He was a less celebrated Gem of an Artist than a few more widely recognized colleagues- but everything he played sang out with a beauty and sense of truth. This is that from Start to finish. Bach would have loved it.
Qué gran sonido, y pasión!!! Nunca había escuchado esta interpretación de la chacona, mi favorita se había mantenido con Heifetz, pero así de acrisolada es esta partitura, que permite tener más de una favorita. Magnífico el maestro Francescatti!!!
O poder desse arco é insuperável. A técnica limpa, o som forte, cheio, humano, denso, apaixonado. É impressionante como ele mete o arco e você só houve som. Nenhum raspado, nenhum ruído estranho, grosseiro, só som. Muito som. Um grande som. Se foi para isso que Stradivarius criou seus violinos, ele certamente está realizado, onde quer que esteja nesse universo imenso.
I never like the beginning of the Chaconne b/c the double-stops are played so scratchily by everyone. After that scratchy stretch, Francescatti's playing and noble style are absolutely astounding.
This is not exactly a "historically informed" way of playing Bach, but Francescattti gives the music other dimensions than are possible on a baroque instrument and I love it.
