Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
The Six Partitas / 2018 recording

Hyperion Records DVDA68001

“Hewitt’s playing is characteristically limpid, technically faultless, deeply intelligent and infectiously joyous. Her decades of experience playing this repertoire gives it a special patina; it glows like old gold. Give yourself an early Christmas present; you’ll want to play this again and again.”
The Guardian, December 2019

CD1

Partita No 1 in B flat major BWV825 (18’18)
1 Praeludium(1’58)
2 Allemande(3’14)
3 Corrente(3’08)
4 Sarabande(5’02)
5 Menuet I – Menuet II – Menuet I da capo(2’40)
6 Giga(2’16)

Partita No 2 in C minor BWV826 (20’50)
7 Sinfonia: Grave adagio – Andante – (Allegro)(4’35)
8 Allemande(4’50)
9 Courante(2’38)
10 Sarabande(3’27)
11 Rondeaux(1’39)
12 Capriccio(3’41)

Partita No 4 in D major BWV828 (33’36)
13 Ouverture – (Allegro)(6’41)
14 Allemande(9’24)
15 Courante(3’53)
16 Aria(2’11)
17 Sarabande(6’00)
18 Menuet(1’29)
19 Gigue(3’58)

CD2

Partita No 3 in A minor BWV827 (19’38)
20 Fantasia(1’58)
21 Allemande(3’15)
22 Corrente(3’07)
23 Sarabande(4’29)
24 Burlesca(2’16)
25 Scherzo(1’05)
26 Gigue(3’28)

Partita No 5 in G major BWV829 (23’03)
27 Praeambulum(2’27)
28 Allemande(4’39)
29 Corrente(1’46)
30 Sarabande(5’59)
31 Tempo di Minuetta(1’51)
32 Passepied(1’57)
33 Gigue(4’24)

Partita No 6 in E minor BWV830 (34’16)
34 Toccata – (Fugue)(7’41)
35 Allemande(3’46)
36 Corrente(4’52)
37 Air(1’34)
38 Sarabande(8’05)
39 Tempo di Gavotta(2’01)
40 Gigue(6’17)

‘Brilliant, well-sounding, expressive and always new’ was the verdict of Bach’s first biographer on the six Partitas, a description which applies equally to Angela Hewitt’s wonderful new recording of what Bach designated his ‘Opus 1’. Angela describes a lifetime of living with Bach’s music as ‘a great gift and a lifelong adventure’; an adventure in which we are fortunate to have such an authoritative companion and guide.