Bach’s Fugue from Violin Sonata no.2… played on double bass!

In a first for the double bass, James Oesi presents the Fugue from Bach’s Violin Sonata in A minor BWV 1003.

On the topic of repurposing existing works by Bach, Oesi says: ’Bach arranged this work himself for harpsichord (BWV 964) and as with many works of his, the way he approaches the arrangement and translation of his own music to another instrument inspired my process. Bach always managed to translate existing works - whether originally his own, or someone else’s in a way that brings light to not only the music itself but also the new instrumentation.

’I hope that I too have managed to do this and create an arrangement that lets the music and my instrument, the double bass, shine. The fugue is glorious, in scope, in depth and in virtuosity and in arranging it for the bass I embraced the low register of the instrument which is surprisingly often shied away from in solo bass playing even though it is of course what makes the instrument so beautifully unique.’

It was recorded on the 17 November 2022 at the Metaal Kathedraal, Utrecht, with video by Ovamus and audio by Pim van der Lee and Mara Oosterbaan. Oesi performs on an 1872 bass by Giusseppe Baldantoni.

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