The passacaille dance takes its name from the Spanish dance pasacalle (literally “walk-about”). It presents a wonderful series of inventions over a recurring bass line. This movement, first heard in Handel’s opera Radamisto in 1720, was repurposed for his Sonata Op. 5 No. 4 in G Major. Recorded here by The English Concert and Kristian Bezuidenhout at the Henry Wood Hall in London in November …
Bach reserves some of his most beautiful music for the moment of death. In this video, Katharina Spreckelsen performs the soaring oboe line in this exquisite sinfonia from Cantata 156 with The English Concert, directed by Kristian Bezuidenhout. Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe / I stand with one foot in the grave.
Nadja Zwiener, leader of The English Concert, performs Bach’s Sarabanda from his Partita for Solo Violin in D Minor BWV 1004 at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, where the composer’s remains rest.
Listen to this sweet short Rondeau from Purcell’s The Indian Queen was recorded by The English Concert and Kristian Bezuidenhout at the Henry Wood Hall in London in November 2019. Performers: Nadja Zwiener, Tuomo Suni – ViolinAlfonso Leal del Ojo – ViolaJonny Byers – CelloKristian Bezuidenhout – Harpsichord and Director
© Images courtesy of Arts Center Incheon
Louise Hogan offers a wonderful insight into our recent tour to East Asia
Although our tour of Rodelinda had to be cancelled, we are planning to record Rodelinda this Autumn. If you would like to donate to our recording fund you can do so through The English Concert website using the donation form on this page.
