There are two ages between the lives and work of Johann Sebastian Bach and Eugène Ysaÿe. Two ages of difference and of similarities.
Bach emerged as a phenomenal composer, a genius, in the first half of the 18th Century. He left an enormous repertoire. Ysaÿe was to be a famous violinist in the beginning of the 20th Century. He also composed, but produced not as much as his illustrious predecessor.
Ysaÿe, violinist to the backbone, took the Sonatas and Partitas of Bach as an inspiration for his Sonatas for Violinsolo (1924). Just like Bach he put the Sonata nr. 1 in the key of g minor. Also the dividing of the Sonata in four movements – alternating between slow and fast – he derived from Bach. This composer was, as becomes perfectly clear, his big example.
01. Sonate no.1 in g minor BWV 1001: Adagio 04:11
02. Sonate no.1 in g minor BWV 1001: Fuga. Allegro 05:23
03. Sonate no.1 in g minor BWV 1001: Siciliana 02:30
04. Sonate no.1 in g minor BWV 1001: Presto 03:22
05. Sonate no. 1 op. 27 no. 1: Grave, Lento assai 06:39
06. Sonate no. 1 op. 27 no. 1: Fugato, Molto moderato 05:02
07. Sonate no. 1 op. 27 no. 1: Allegretto poco Scherzoso, Amabile 04:38
08. Sonate no. 1 op. 27 no. 1: Finale con brio, Allegro fermo 03:07
09. Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006: Preludio 03:23
10. Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006: Loure 03:38
11. Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006: Gavotte en Rondeau 02:46
12. Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006: Menuet I en II 03:47
13. Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006: Boureée 01:15
14. Partita no. 3 in E major BWV 1006: Gigue 01:45
15. Sonate no. 2 op. 27 no. 2: Obsession, Prélude, poco vivace 02:38
16. Sonate no. 2 op. 27 no. 2: Malinconia, Poco lento 02:53
17. Sonate no. 2 op. 27 no. 2: Danse des Ombres, sarabande (lento) 04:52
18. Sonate no. 2 op. 27 no. 2: Les Furies, Allegro furioso 03:21