Konzerthaus Berlin

#konzertZUhaus: Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo

Intimate space, virtuoso playing – six violinists interpret the six sonatas and partitas by J. S. Bach in the large and empty hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin. With the concert masters Suyoen Kim and Sayako Kusaka as well as Viviane Hagner, Carolin Widmann, Veronika Eberle and Midori Seiler.

Bach’s sonatas and partitas for solo violin have never probably sounded so intimate. Due to Corona, the Great Hall in the Berlin Konzerthaus is still empty at the beginning of May 2020. The chandeliers are partly lowered to the floor, the seating has been removed, and the audience has to stay at home. The three sonatas and three partitas by Johann Sebastian Bach are played in this unusual setting, performed by six outstanding violinists.

Apart from the musicians and the production team, nobody is present in the hall. Only the busts of the composers look at what is going on. A concentrated atmosphere that ideally complements this violin summit.

It is interesting to observe the individual approach of the soloists: one plays on a modern violin, the other with a baroque bow on a baroque violin and another with a baroque bow on a modern violin. And just as diverse as the interpretations are, so the visual perspectives also change: each of the sonatas and partitas shows a different view of the impressive, empty Great Hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin.

Director: Andreas Morell
Editing: Uli Peschke
Sound: Philipp Nedel, Martin Kistner
Camera: Maik Behres, Henning Brümmer, Beatrice Albrecht
Camera Engineer: Arno Scholwin
Lights: Ingo Lorenz, Tobias Ogrodnik
Camera Interview: Robert Richter
Dramaturgy: Ulf Werner
Set Manager: Mária Géczi
Executive Producers: Maria Willer, Bernhard von Hülsen

Sonata Nr. 1 G minor BWV 1001 Viviane Hagner
Partita Nr. 1 B minor BWV 1002 Sayako Kusaka
Sonata Nr. 2 A minor BWV 1003 Carolin Widmann
Partita Nr. 2 D minor BWV 1004 Veronika Eberle
Sonata Nr. 3 C major BWV 1005 Midori Seiler
Partita Nr. 3 E major BWV 1006 Suyoen Kim