The Bach Partita No. 2 in C minor, BWV 826, begins with a Sinfonia in the form and style of a French overture. An austerely noble, dotted-note introduction leads to a long and finely spun cantilena, which in turn turns into an athletic two-voice fugue.
The Allemande is filled with a gentle melancholy, its dance elements abstracted, but the lively and purposeful Courante is kinetically emphatic.
The Sarabande is lyrically lovely and in motion.
The rhythmical Rondeau underscores the French influence in this Partita, and the Capriccio, replacing the usual Gigue at the end of a dance suite, is bold and serious music, in terms of content as well as style.
Ms. Argerich is a master in performing this music for you:
