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JS Bach: 6 Partitas

Asako Ogawa (harpischord)

JS Bach: 6 Partitas
By the time I had listened to the first 30 minutes of this recording, I had taken against her...But as the second Partita progressed, she began to loosen up, revealing rhythmic subtlety and...

JS Bach: 6 Partitas

Asako Ogawa (harpischord)

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This release includes a digital booklet

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By the time I had listened to the first 30 minutes of this recording, I had taken against her...But as the second Partita progressed, she began to loosen up, revealing rhythmic subtlety and...

About

The Six Partitas, BWV 825830 were the first of a series of works for keyboard instruments that Bach published under the general title of Clavierbung (Keyboard Practice). They consist of a set of six harpsichord suites, are amongst the last set of keyboard suites Bach composed and the most technically demanding. In fact, although Bach was age 40 at the time, these were the first of his compositions to see publication.

The Partitas follow the basic form of the Baroque dance suite. An elaborate opening movement is followed by four stylized dances: the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue.

Harpsichordist Asako Ogawa is based in London and actively performs as a soloist and as a continuo player in UK, Europe and Japan. She is also a baroque repertoire coach at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Her main appearances include: the Halle International Handel Festival, Leicester International Music Festival, Faversham Music Festival, London Bach Festival. Brighton Early Music Festival, BBC Radio 3, and the Georgian Concert Society, Edinburgh. Ogawa is also a regular performer at the London Handel Festival since 2008, and one of the official accompanists for the London Handel Singing Competition after winning the Accompanist's Prize in 2007.

Ogawa's recently issued dbut recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations was praised by the critic Robert Hugill: 'There is a clarity to her approach; every detail of Bach's part-writing is clear'. Ogawa completed her Postgraduate Diploma and Fellowship as a harpsichordist at the Historical Performance Department at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she has also completed a MMus as a pianist and works as a staff accompanist. She has participated in the international courses and masterclasses given by Bob van Asperen, Colin Tilney, Ton Koopmann, Ketil Haugsand and Christophe Rousset. She studied harpsichord with Nicholas Parle, James Johnstone, and Laurence Cummings, and fortepiano with Steven Devine.

Contents and tracklist

I. Praeludium
Track length1:57
II. Allemande
Track length4:19
III. Corrente
Track length2:59
IV. Sarabande
Track length5:22
V. Menuets I & II
Track length2:53
VI. Giga
Track length2:18
I. Sinfonia
Track length4:39
II. Allemande
Track length5:16
III. Courante
Track length2:32
IV. Sarabande
Track length3:19
V. Rondeaux
Track length1:30
VI. Capriccio
Track length3:45
I. Ouverture
Track length6:18
II. Allemande
Track length9:28
III. Courante
Track length3:59
IV. Aria
Track length2:15
V. Sarabande
Track length6:09
VI. Menuett
Track length1:32
VII. Gigue
Track length4:08
I. Fantasia
Track length3:08
II. Allemande
Track length2:40
III. Corrente
Track length2:59
IV. Sarabande
Track length4:31
V. Burlesca
Track length2:15
VI. Scherzo
Track length1:17
VII. Gigue
Track length3:22
I. Preambulum
Track length2:34
II. Allemande
Track length4:34
III. Corrente
Track length2:06
IV. Sarabande
Track length4:55
V. Tempo di minuetto
Track length2:01
VI. Passepied
Track length1:38
VII. Gigue
Track length4:09
I. Toccata
Track length7:57
II. Allemande
Track length3:45
III. Corrente
Track length4:20
IV. Air
Track length1:44
V. Sarabande
Track length7:05
VI. Tempo di gavotta
Track length2:15
VII. Gigue
Track length6:17

Awards and reviews

February 2021

By the time I had listened to the first 30 minutes of this recording, I had taken against her...But as the second Partita progressed, she began to loosen up, revealing rhythmic subtlety and a refined control of tone-colour...From this point on her playing radiated excitement, and a vivid sense of the character of each individual piece.
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