Johann Sebastian Bach - Partitas for Viola da Gamba (Teodoro Baù)

Information

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

• Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004
• Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006
• Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002

Teodoro Baù, viola da gamba & arrangements

Date: 2026

Label: Arcana

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Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partitas for solo violin (BWV 1002, 1004, and 1006) represent visionary masterworks that elevate traditional dance suites through unprecedented expressive and contrapuntal complexity. Transcribing these works for the viola da gamba follows a well-documented Baroque practice of adapting violin repertoire for related string instruments. Celebrated for its natural polyphonic capabilities, jeu d’harmonie, and affinity for suite forms, the viola da gamba reveals new tonal dimensions within Bach's dense harmonic structures. Without compromising their original identity, these transcriptions offer a fresh perspective on familiar masterpieces, casting their intricate details in a vibrant new light.

Born in Italy in 1992, violist da gamba Teodoro Baù is an internationally acclaimed early music specialist based in Basel. He completed his studies with top honors at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and Salzburg's Mozarteum University, complemented by extensive training in Renaissance lute. Baù's distinguished career is highlighted by top honors at major competitions, including first prize at both the 2021 MA Festival Competition in Bruges and the 2015 Bach-Abel Competition in Köthen. Alongside his solo career, he teaches at the Urbino early music summer courses and performs medieval ars subtilior repertoire on the fiddle with the ensemble La Fonte Musica.