Violinist Ruth Palmer!
Bartók Sonata & Bach Partita No.2 for solo violin – “Hidden Acoustics”
Since March, 2010, violinist Ruth Palmer has been presenting a program of solo-violin works that she calls “Hidden Acoustics”. The program is designed to reveal the sonic properties of a variety of historic buildings. In this performance of Bartok’s sonata for solo violin and the Bach partita that inspired it, the focus is on the marriage between instrument and the venue acoustic. The match between Palmer’s Stradivari and the clear glow of the Temple Church is amazing, allowing for the sharpest detail of articulation and unhurried admiration of the musical structure. We hear the contrast of Bartok’s world as saddened and painful at the end of his life, and this is contrasted with Bach’s astounding inventiveness more than 200 years earlier. The connections between these two works go deeper still, for Bartók’s massive first-movement is a chaconne, and clearly evokes the last movement of Bach’s partita in its opening bars.
Palmer’s performance of both works is hugely impressive; she combines all the required technical skill with a real sense of history and importance in her playing. The difference in the acoustics between the two works is quickly quite clear.
Here is Ruth Palmer talking about sound and how she approaches the preparation of different compositions:
And here’s a video of Ruth, expressing her reaction to the challenges of obtaining a fine instrument for her performances:
Tags: Ruth Palmer, violinist, Bach, Bartok