Bach: Complete Works for Lute Yasunori Imamura

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a:
• 1 Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: I. Preludio 04:13
• 2 Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: II. Loure 03:58
• 3 Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: III. Gavotte en rondeau 03:29
• 4 Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: IV. Menuet I - V. Menuet II 04:43
• 5 Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: VI. Bourrée 01:51
• 6 Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: VII. Gigue 02:27
• Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997:
• 7 Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: I. Prelude 03:11
• 8 Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: II. Fugue 07:13
• 9 Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: III. Sarabande 05:28
• 10 Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: IV. Gigue - V. Double 06:09
• Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999:
• 11 Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999 01:55
• Fugue in G Minor, BWV 1000:
• 12 Fugue in G Minor, BWV 1000 05:46
• Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998:
• 13 Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998: I. Prelude 03:04
• 14 Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998: II. Fugue 06:32
• 15 Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998: III. Allegro 03:48
• Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996:
• 16 Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: I. Prelude 02:51
• 17 Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: II. Allemande 03:02
• 18 Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: III. Courante 02:40
• 19 Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: IV. Sarabande 04:24
• 20 Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: V. Bourrée 01:33
• 21 Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: VI. Gigue 03:48
• Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995:
• 22 Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: I. Prelude 06:11
• 23 Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: II. Allemande 06:18
• 24 Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: III. Courante 02:35
• 25 Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: IV. Sarabande 02:50
• 26 Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: V. Gavotte I - VI. Gavotte II 04:43
• 27 Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: VII. Gigue 02:38
• St. John Passion, BWV 245: No. 19, Betrachte, meine Seel:
• 28 St. John Passion, BWV 245: No. 19, Betrachte, meine Seel 02:24
• St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244b (Early Version):
• 29 St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244b (Early Version): No. 56, Ja! freilich will in uns das Fleisch und Blut 00:41
• 30 St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244b (Early Version): No. 57, Komm, süßes Kreuz 06:31
• Total Runtime 01:56:56

Info zu Bach: Complete Works for Lute

The considerable variety of Johann Sebastian Bach’s output for the lute stands witness to different periods of his life and career. This collection comprises Bach’s complete lute works, amply demonstrating his interest in its expressive qualities. These works include the technically demanding Partita BWV 1006a, Bach’s own transcription of his Cello Suite No. 5, three pieces from the St John Passion and the St Matthew Passion where the lute appears in an ensemble setting, and the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998, described by the renowned harpsichordist Wanda Landowska as ‘of incomparable beauty… unique amongst Bach’s works’.

Yasunori Imamura, baroque lute

Yasunori Imamura
studied lute with Eugen Müller-Dombois and Hopkinson Smith at the Schola Cantorum in Basle, where he received his soloist’s diploma in 1981. Subsequently, he worked on interpretation and thoroughbass with Ton Koopman and Johann Sonnleitner and composition with Wolfgang Neininger.

Today, Imamura is recognised as one of the most prominent figures of the lute, both as a soloist as well as a continuo player. He is professor of lute at the Conservatoire et académie supérieure de musique de Strasbourg, as well as at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Frankfurt am Main, and regularly gives masterclasses in Europe and the Far East.

His solo recordings have received excellent reviews in various audio magazines, with the Diapason d’or prize for Lute Sonatas, Vol. 1 by Silvius Leopold Weiss in 2006 and a Joker de Crescendo prize for Lute Sonatas, Vol. 2 by Weiss in 2008. He received the Cultural Achievement Award from the Canton of Solothurn (Switzerland) in 2010.

Besides his activities as a soloist, Yasunori Imamura has collaborated as a continuo player with leading artists such as Cecilia Bartoli, Teresa Berganza, Núria Rial, Marc Minkowski, Maurice Steger, Michael Schneider, Martin Gester and Alan Curtis, and has made more than 140 recordings. In 1997 he founded the ensemble Fons Musicae, performing throughout Europe and the Far East. To date they have made six recordings and have earned various international awards, including the Classica prize and the Sterne des Monats prize.

Booklet für Bach: Complete Works for Lute