William Carter - Bach Reimagines Bach - musica Dei donum

William Carter recorded three pieces by Bach: two of them are from the composer’s own pen, whereas the disc opens with Carter’s own arrangement of the Sonata in g minor for solo violin. Carter’s starting point is a lute version of the fugue made by Johann Christian Weyrauch, a close friend of Bach’s, who is also responsible for the tablature versions of other lute pieces from Bach’s pen (BWV 997 and 1000). The Suite in E is Bach’s own arrangement of the Partita No. 3 for solo violin and has survived complete in autograph. The Suite in g minor (BWV 995) is also an arrangement of Bach’s own making, this time after the Suite No. 5 in c minor (BWV 1011) for cello solo. This work has come down to us in autograph too.

These three pieces receive outstanding performances from Carter, whose relaxed style of playing is nice to listen to. Among the highlights are the fugues from BWV 1001 and 995: the various voices come out very clearly, and the playing has improvisatory traits. In some fast movements the articulation is not entirely clear: some notes are not that easy to hear. Bach’s own arrangements are available in other good recordings; Carter’s own arrangement of BWV 1001 is a valuable addition to the catalogue. For lovers of lute music that is enough reason to include this disc in their collection.