Happy Bach’s 331st birthday! To celebrate, we had a partita party with violinist Rachel Barton Pine. (What’s a “partita,” you ask? Listen and learn, my friends.) Rachel explains Bach’s sonatas and partitas and what makes them unique, and walks us through several examples from her new album Testament, which she released on March 21st to coincide with Bach’s bday. Also discussed: What Bach means to her personally, and whether one needs to wear a beret when playing French music (spoiler alert: oui).

99% of the music in this episode is from Rachel Barton Pine’s new release,  Testament: Complete Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin by J. S. Bach. The other 1% is the producer’s fault.

 

 Audio production by Todd “Partodda” Hulslander with sarabande by Dacia Clay and editing by Mark DiClaudio.