Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004, Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005

Dear Listener, please allow me to begin by telling you that this recording is the fruit of a most fortunate meeting. Throughout my musical career I have always firmly believed in the utmost importance of a perfect recording, that is, a perfect rendering of notes.

As you may well know the ultimate musical instrument of churches is the organ. Anybody, therefore, with the temerity to attempt a similar acoustic effect with a four-string instrument has no easy job, to say the least, which difficulty I truly felt during the recording.

Let me also share a truly unmatched feeling with you. Namely, that, during the most intensive preparation of the recording and the most diligent readying on my part to be able to understand Bach’s works better and render them accordingly, I had the feeling that Bach is getting greater and greater whereas I am getting smaller and smaller. Still, it was a most uplifting and moving feeling to get that close to J. S. Bach. Last but not least I owe a heartfelt thank you to Wolfgang Hamberger for his selfless help lending me this invaluably special instrument to play at the recordings, without which such marvellous sounds and this fabulous recording would not have been possible (Guarneri del Gésu 1739). Wolfgang was one of my most talented students and the Music School of Munich where I taught for 15 years as a professor and head of department. His health problems prompted me to advise Wolfgang to go to Mittenwald and graduate as a musical instrument maker. Heeding my advice, he has become a worldwide leading expert on string instruments and has a flourishing business in Munich and all over the world.

Ernő Sebestyén, Violin