Partita Für Violine Solo Nr. 2

Johann Sebastian Bach is widely revered as the best of all composers, and is frequently praised in the most extravagant terms. His second Partita for solo violin, and, in particular, the long 'Chaconne' which closes it, has further been singled out as one of his profoundest creations. In the unlikely event of this blog attracting any readers (even the bots have moved on elsewhere, it seems), they will find further confirmation here - if any were needed - that my taste is defective and not to be trusted: I don't much care for J.S. Bach's music.

The BWV 1004 'Chaconne' is a partial exception to that rule: I have found it absorbing and impressive on the occasions I've listened to it, but those occasions have been few. I bought this 10" disc of a mid-'50s mono recording of it by Viennese fiddler Wolfgang Schneiderhan nearly twenty years ago, but have only seldom blown the dust off it. Other Bach pieces I don't mind include his Concerto for Two Violins and the odd snippet from his Cello Suites.

I find it difficult to articulate exactly what about Bach's music (mostly) leaves me cold. Part of that puzzle, I've surmised, are its rhythms - there's often what I percieve as a plodding 'chug-a-lug' underlying it that tends to irritate me. It could still be that I will eventually learn to love it and come to regret my erstwhile philistinism; but, even after having heard many hours of it over the years, the big light-bulb over my head remains dark: for now I'd sooner listen to François Couperin, or Domenico Scarlatti, or to Vivaldi than to JSB.

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