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Is this the most astonishing music ever composed? I sometimes think that if I could choose some music to represent the most that the human race is capable of achieving then it would be the jaw-dropping works on these discs. Do I exaggerate? See below …
 
Bach’s works for solo violin are breathtaking in terms of virtuosity and technical accomplishment, but predominantly in the sound he is capable of conjuring from the violin. Each movement has a flowing sense of line and a clear melody, but what is most astonishing is the way he creates the illusion of harmony and base-line coming from one instrument that is only capable of playing two notes at once. It genuinely does not feel like you are listening to only one instrument. This is most exceptional in the second movement in each sonata, where Bach produces a fully realised Fugue. The most famous movement is also the longest: the Chaconne from the Second Partita. Theories surrounding it differ widely: some say it represents Christ’s journey to the cross, while others suggest it as a profound funeral meditation for Bach’s first wife. Whatever you think, this movement alone will leave you breathless.
 
It is the Everest of the violin repertoire and has attracted the best of performers, such as Grumiaux, Milstein and Perlman. This new set from Ilya Kaler doesn’t quite live up to them, but he stands up for himself well. Kalyer plays a modern instrument. Contrast this with Jaap Schröder’s performance on a Baroque violin, also available on Naxos. The church acoustic (St John Chrysostom’s, Newmarket, Canada) suits the music surprisingly well, creating a rich sense of space. While the echo is perhaps a little too pronounced, the sound of the disc as a whole is very appropriate.
 
Kaler’s musicianship rises to the works’ many challenges. He is wistful and melancholic for the first Partita, jolly and lithe for the third, and his technical accomplishments are all that they should be for the Fugues and the Chaconne. His tempi are predictable - and, it must be said, fitting - and his control of volume avoids extremes. All of this is altogether suitable, and this is certainly a set I’ll return to frequently. However, as you might guess from this, this means that his playing is dependable rather than inspired. He doesn’t reach the heights of inspiration you hear in Kremer or Perlman. That does mean, however, that if you want to get to know these works for the first time then this is a very good place to start. There is no “concept” and he certainly isn’t trying to make a particular interpretative point. I found this disc thoroughly enjoyable and it only reaffirmed my high opinion of this extraordinary music rather than drawing my attention to the performer himself, which is praise enough. The documentation for the set is adequate, but nothing special. If you want to hear how this music sounds in the hands of a real genius then look to Grumiaux on Philips. Currently remastered in the Originals series you can pick this up surprisingly cheaply at the moment.
 
In an article for Gramophone (January 2008) Armando Ianucci pointed out that when scientists were sending the Voyager space probe into the outer reaches of the universe, far beyond our solar system, they chose certain works of art to sum up the greatest achievements of the human race in case any passing extra-terrestrials picked it up, and among these works they included the Second Partita. The most astonishing music ever composed? At the Naxos budget price you can afford to find out.
 
Simon Thompson
 

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