Sei Solo

Between 1717 and 1723 Johann Sebastian Bach was employed as "Hofkapellmeister und Director
der fürstlichen Cammermusiken" at the court of Prince Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen. In the early
sumer of 1720 the music-loving prince went to take the waters at Karlsbad for a few months.
During that time Bach produced one of his most beautiful compositions, the six pieces for solo
violin, whose manuscript title reads: Sei Solo a Violino senza Basso accompagnato. Libro Primo.
da Joh. Seb. Bach. ao. 1720.
The three sonatas and three partitas, encompassing a whole cosmos of baroque affects, stand as
a monolith in the entire violin literature. This melodic instrument, suddenly left alone, deprived of
a basso continuo, must now master everything from an Italian Adagio to the famous Chaconne,
not to mention all the fugues, doubles and dances in between - a challenge for every violinist.
Each approach demands renewed devotion, an immersion into another world, a fusion between
player and instrument in order to read between the notes, to discover new things and to become
one with oneself and the instrument.

Thomas Fheodoroff studied violin at the Vienna music university and graduated with distinction in
1996. In 2006 he was appointed violin professor at the same institution.