BACH'S SONATAS FOR VIOLA DA
GAMBA AND CEMBALO, played by HOWARD BLISS (Violoncello) and GORDON BRYAN (Pianoforte)
Sonata No. 2, in D-First Two Movements
Eleventh Chamber Concerto, Second Movement
Played by GORDON BRYAN
THE second 'Cello Sonata begins with a short slow Movement, in which the 'Cello's utterance is suave and succinct. There follows a cheerful quick Movement, starting quietly, with a touch of lilting syncopation in it, and swelling out strongly at the half-way mark-the top of the hill, one might say. 'Cello and Pianoforte animatedly discuss the main idea all down the other side, and clearly come to a unanimous decision about it.
The Second Movement of the Concerto which Bach arranged from a work by Duke Johann Ernst of Weimar, is in two sections-a leisurely one, with an obvious fiddle-tune supported by simple harmonies in the bass, followed by a. quick fugal-style section, mostly in two 1 voices ' only. On the keyboard its busy upper voice is obviously not so much at ease as it would be on a violin.