Viktoria Mullova plays a gut-strung Guadagnini (in modern set-up) at low pitch, using a Baroquestyle bow. In terms of tonal quality there’s little to distinguish it from, say, Rachel Podger’s Baroque violin (Channel Classics, 7/99R, 12/99R). So it’s with the period instrument Bach recordings that Mullova can be most usefully compared, rather than with Richard Tognetti’s “compromise” version (ABC, 10/06), employing a similar set-up but, crucially, with a later model of bow.
These are outstanding performances, however, whatever category they belong to. Mullova brings together several ideal qualities for a Bach player. Firstly, there’s a secure sense of style, apparent equally in the rhythm and character of each of the Partitas’ dances, and in the ornamented introductory movements of the first two Sonatas. Then there’s her superior, virtuoso’s technique, producing beautifully precise tuning and, in the fugal movements, finely controlled, varied and euphonious playing of the most densely polyphonic passages. To this we can add her deep musical understanding; by means of subtle emphasis and natural dynamic contrasts, she draws our attention to the beauty of Bach’s harmonic progressions and to the balance and grandeur of his designs. Even on the few occasions where Mullova isn’t entirely convincing – a somewhat spiky Allemanda in Partita No 1, a meditative Sarabanda in Partita No 2 that doesn’t express the piece’s stateliness – the poise and sheer quality of the playing remains extremely persuasive.
There have been many fine recent recordings of these works, but this one is definitely not to be missed.
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