Bach senza Basso, About the solo works for violin of Johann Sebastian Bach

When an important violinist has reached the 4th bar of the first Adagio in the 1st Solo, he will already have changed enough little things to put his listener on a different footing. This violinist’s playing is about performing. He is a colonialist, the score is his material now, leaving no room for a discussion between himself and his silent customer. Imagine Bach’s own (excellent) violin playing as the sermon of a minister in a small church speaking to everyone personally, while our modern violinist is singing about himself, preferably in large venues, for the masses. It feels almost like archaeology to dig up the many undisturbed gems lying about in the manuscript. Intriguing questions come to mind: discussions about counterpoint for one solo-instrument only; how less can be more; the role of the listener; how to suggest things which actually are not there, the uncanny memory of our customers; and first and foremost: how to NOT to make masterworks sound like exercises.