„Ciaccona” in D minor from Partita II for solo Violin (BWV 1004) by J.S. Bach and „Ciaccona” for solo Violin, in B minor, op.21 by R. Barth. Comparative analysis

Abstract

In my study for the solo violin repertory and by trying to find works that are unknown and rarely interpreted, I found the score of a Ciaccona for solo violin, in b minor, op.21, composed by Richard Barth in 1908. Studying the score in detail, I discovered a monumental work, that tests the technique of any violinist, an extremely valuable work which should become well known and played a lot more often. Being a tribute addressed to J.S. Bach’s Ciaccona, I tried to study them in parallel, in order to see which are the composition tools used in each of them and what are their technical and performative challenges. It is amazing to discover that, with different means (derived from different stylistic periods of composition) there can be composed 2 valuable art masterpieces.