New Arts International

Bach's Six Sonatas for Harpsichord and Violin, BWV 1014-1019 are among the milestones in the history of music, and they are played here on authentic instruments (a=415) by two absolutely brilliant musicians who have performed them in concert for years before finally committing them to CD.
These works were among Bach's own favourites, written during his Cöthen period, and he himself performed them many times, working and reworking them all the time, notably the last Sonata of the set.
The Sonata No. VI in G Major, BWV 1019, was rewritten by Bach three times, but all the music from the two earlier versions has been kept. A unique feature of this set is that we added to the Sixth Sonata in its definitive form, the two earlier versions of this Sonata, which contain completely different, but equally beautiful, music which has never before been recorded!
In the very informative booklet there is an extended history of the genesis of Sonata VI, BWV 1019 which will add greatly to the enjoyment of this music.

Johannes Leertouwer was born in 1959 and started playing the violin already at a very early age. While still studying at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory, he took part in the National Oscar Back Violin Competition of 1983, where he was awarded the coveted Elisabeth Back Prize as well as the Buma Award, the latter for best performance of the obligatory contemporary work. This enabled him to continue his studies with Josef Suk in Vienna and Prague, for which he also received a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Culture. He concentrates nowadays mainly on chamber music, appearing in recitals and ensemble concerts all over the world, striving for authentic performances on historic instruments.

Menno van Delft was born in 1963 and studied harpsichord with Anneke Uittenbosch, Gustav Leonhardt and Ton Koopman. In 1988 Menno van Delft won the Clavichord Prize at the C.Ph.E. Bach Competition in Hamburg. As harpsichordist he is not only very active as a soloist, but also performs regularly as continuo player with a great many well-known ensembles and also with the Netherlands Opera. In 1992 he made his debut in the United States. Menno van Delft was recently invited to perform the birthday concert in the Bach House at Eisenach in March 1993.