"Morimur"
Bach:
Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin, BWV 1004
selected chorales
Christoph Poppen (baroque violin)
The Hilliard Ensemble
Monika Mauch (soprano)
David James (countertenor)
John Potter (tenor)
Gordon Jones (baritone)
ECM
The premise behind this release lies in research by the Düsseldorf scholar Helga Thoene. She claims that certain Lutheran Chorales can not only be superimposed upon Bach's mighty D Minor Chaconne from the D Minor Partita, but also play a major role governing the Chaconne's structure. Therefore, Christoph Poppen's performances of the Partita's individual movements (which includes the Chaconne, of course) are interspersed with chorales sung by the Hilliard Ensemble. We then hear the Chaconne again, this time with the chorale tunes layered on top of the violin part. But this disc begs the question: Do plausible and provocative theories such as Ms. Thoene's translate into enlightening listening experiences?
In the Chaconne's case, one tends to concentrate on the sustained, ethereal vocal lines while relegating the poor fiddler's Herculean efforts to mere accompaniment. This is especially so when the chorale melodies jump up to a higher register than where the violin plays. In order to perceive the chorales clearly, the violinist must accommodate the singers by playing the Chaconne in relatively strict and steady rhythm. Oddly enough — and for this very reason — Poppen's performance of the Chaconne with the singers is preferable to his more opinionated, self-consciously embellished "a capella" counterpart. In any case, the layered voices provide intellectual food for thought, yet ultimately pull focus from the work's magisterially unfolding architecture and emotional build. It's like watching a magician pull off wonderful tricks while at the same time telling you how they're done. Clouds of resonance heighten the willful purity and abstract beauty that characterizes the Hilliard Ensemble's smooth-as-Chivas vocal blend in the chorales. Listeners who love the D Minor Partita will surely want to hear this disc. But before you commit, make sure you have a genuinely passionate and baggage-free rendition of this great work in your collection (such as those by Nathan Milstein, Arthur Grumiaux, James Ehrens, Gregory Fulkerson, Aaron Rosand and Joseph Szigeti).
