Prelude: 0:05 Allemande: 3:25 Courante: 6:26 Sarabande: 8:32 Minuets: 12:01 Gigue: 14:40 Beautifully performed!! This is my new favorite second suite recording :)
Thank you for your exquisite performance of this Bach suite! The sound of your viola is gorgeous and you bring the best out of this wonderful instrument!
This is the most exquisite playing, the technical fluency and musicianship enabling player, instrument and music to be as one, thank you from a poor old organist for making me seem to be hearing this piece for the first time.
I just discovered that wonderful instrument, I'm actually at the cello and will check for that kind of violin, with those warm sounds that I love. You're inspiring me and don't hesitate to share those astonishing compositions of that genius Bach, bravo!
(On the prelude) So I'm hearing from a teacher that I should absolutely not leave gaps in the tied notes of the opening statement. Whilst I don't like listening to too many recordings whilst working on a piece out of desperation I have been driven to youtube to hear if other players interpret this in the same way as I do. Very glad you and many others have the same idea. I am also being told to play the piece without barely any rubato. Obviously remaining largely consistent with the overall tempo is important yet I feel like there are moments which absolutely scream for it. I think it's coming down to the issue of Baroque style, though I have heard so many conflicting opinions on this I honestly find concentrating on "historically correct" playing a huge barrier to a satisfying interpretation. You seem to have found an interpretation which you are very comfortable with (also one which I enjoy hugely!) and I would love to hear how you found your own way of playing the suites. Was there a point when you decided to purely trust your own interpretation and (as concisely as you can!) do you consider HIP or simply analyse the harmony and react as you see fit? Sorry for the long winded comment, thanks for the recording!
Hi Dominic, thanks for your comment. Whether or not you take time whilst playing Bach is a personal thing. I mean, just because something's a dance movement does that mean it should be in strict tempo? Not necessarily, and why should we stick to one way of playing Bach or playing a particular movement. Check out the Bourree I just uploaded in folk style-- it works in strict rhythm like that but maybe another time you'd take more liberties with the tempo, say if you were playing alone or in a more Baroque style. I think one of the most important things with solo Bach is knowing what the rhythm of the harmony is, that is, when it changes. This can take a bit of grunt work, actually making a harmonic map of it. Then all the notes above that harmony have a natural direction and meaning, flowing from one harmony to another. You can even play just the chords as a phrase, like which chords are the main ones you arrive at. Then you get a picture of where to put dynamics. The unfortunate thing is that most people don't take the score apart, they play just the surface layer. And you can really hear that.. it's what I call 'linear' Bach playing, it sounds like it looks. There's so much more going on. Beware of 'rules'. There are rules of taste of course, but if you're thinking too much about rules it can get in the way of the music. Listen for the proportions of the music. Imagine it visualised as shapes, and play those shapes, play them so that they are clear to the ear. These are the kinds of things I think about when I approach Bach. It's a process and I'm still learning. Good luck!
@@maxbailliemusic as Haydn said, “ What is the use of such rules? I wish instead someone would write a really new minuet.” Make your own artistic choices, and present them bravely. Some will like them, some won’t, but the choice is yours.
Great recording man! Microphones may be a bit too great, I can hear the gritty rosin scrape lightly across the string, something you probably wouldn't hear in the audience lol
I can imagine that for a serious string player it must be a terrible sound, but I actually quite enjoyed it, it made the music feel very natural or better said more nature-like and it somehow matches the church in which he is playing. The notes have a different colour this way.
I think I would have slowed the sarabande down a lot more, but that's the great thing about music. Every musician plays differently and with their own quirks. Without personalization, performances would be a bore. Well done (:
Hi Michelle, I find it tricky on the violin to play without a shoulder rest. But the viola is already quite high so a shoulder rest always feels too much.
Excellent viola playing and from memory too. Complete control of the instrument and no fear ! I find the tempi too fast and even the discoverer of those suites Pablo, Casals' tempi are much slower . I would not say that Casals is the best I heard , today everybody is doing great also showing technique and speed which I do not agree on. Max is also fast for me in the courantes and gigues I tend to agree with Pablo. At least he is the re-creator of these works.
Wish that blasted cameraman would stand still. Stop walking around and just let us watch! Or listen, would be better. It’s music not performance art...the camera work is terrible..but the playing is great, thank you!
Prelude: 0:05
Allemande: 3:25
Courante: 6:26
Sarabande: 8:32
Minuets: 12:01
Gigue: 14:40
Beautifully performed!! This is my new favorite second suite recording :)
Thank you for your exquisite performance of this Bach suite! The sound of your viola is gorgeous and you bring the best out of this wonderful instrument!
This is the most exquisite playing, the technical fluency and musicianship enabling player, instrument and music to be as one, thank you from a poor old organist for making me seem to be hearing this piece for the first time.
Wonderful music and performance, I love this viola sound... 👏👏👏
this is the most wonderfull suite 2 perform that I ever heard
I just discovered that wonderful instrument, I'm actually at the cello and will check for that kind of violin, with those warm sounds that I love. You're inspiring me and don't hesitate to share those astonishing compositions of that genius Bach, bravo!
Très belle interprétation sur un superbe alto avec une grande maîtrise dans une église sans écho superflu .
Amazing performance, thank you Max Baillie.
I love the way you use vibrato with intelligence and parsimony. So elegant!
Thanks Paulo, glad you enjoyed my performance :)
You look like an angel and the music is heavenly x thank you
I think the best way of describing viola to someone who doesn't know what it is, just say that its if a cello and a violin had a kid
Whenever I listen to this recording I get inspired to play my viola although it will mess up my violin playing. Great!
Hi Pat, it's the best thing to hear that you can inspire someone, thanks for letting me know!
Come to the dark side, we have cookies
The sweetness of this is indescribable!
(On the prelude) So I'm hearing from a teacher that I should absolutely not leave gaps in the tied notes of the opening statement. Whilst I don't like listening to too many recordings whilst working on a piece out of desperation I have been driven to youtube to hear if other players interpret this in the same way as I do. Very glad you and many others have the same idea. I am also being told to play the piece without barely any rubato. Obviously remaining largely consistent with the overall tempo is important yet I feel like there are moments which absolutely scream for it. I think it's coming down to the issue of Baroque style, though I have heard so many conflicting opinions on this I honestly find concentrating on "historically correct" playing a huge barrier to a satisfying interpretation. You seem to have found an interpretation which you are very comfortable with (also one which I enjoy hugely!) and I would love to hear how you found your own way of playing the suites. Was there a point when you decided to purely trust your own interpretation and (as concisely as you can!) do you consider HIP or simply analyse the harmony and react as you see fit?
Sorry for the long winded comment, thanks for the recording!
Hi Dominic, thanks for your comment. Whether or not you take time whilst playing Bach is a personal thing. I mean, just because something's a dance movement does that mean it should be in strict tempo? Not necessarily, and why should we stick to one way of playing Bach or playing a particular movement. Check out the Bourree I just uploaded in folk style-- it works in strict rhythm like that but maybe another time you'd take more liberties with the tempo, say if you were playing alone or in a more Baroque style.
I think one of the most important things with solo Bach is knowing what the rhythm of the harmony is, that is, when it changes. This can take a bit of grunt work, actually making a harmonic map of it. Then all the notes above that harmony have a natural direction and meaning, flowing from one harmony to another. You can even play just the chords as a phrase, like which chords are the main ones you arrive at. Then you get a picture of where to put dynamics. The unfortunate thing is that most people don't take the score apart, they play just the surface layer. And you can really hear that.. it's what I call 'linear' Bach playing, it sounds like it looks. There's so much more going on.
Beware of 'rules'. There are rules of taste of course, but if you're thinking too much about rules it can get in the way of the music. Listen for the proportions of the music. Imagine it visualised as shapes, and play those shapes, play them so that they are clear to the ear. These are the kinds of things I think about when I approach Bach. It's a process and I'm still learning. Good luck!
@@maxbailliemusic as Haydn said, “ What is the use of such rules? I wish instead someone would write a really new minuet.”
Make your own artistic choices, and present them bravely. Some will like them, some won’t, but the choice is yours.
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
@@die_schlechtere_Milch excellent!
excellent colour choices and I want your Right
hand!
Hitting the like button is not enough!!!! Loved it
Great recording man! Microphones may be a bit too great, I can hear the gritty rosin scrape lightly across the string, something you probably wouldn't hear in the audience lol
I can imagine that for a serious string player it must be a terrible sound, but I actually quite enjoyed it, it made the music feel very natural or better said more nature-like and it somehow matches the church in which he is playing. The notes have a different colour this way.
@@die_schlechtere_Milch I am a serious player and I don't mind it.
Beautiful
So good!!!!
Thanks Nate! :)
C est magnifique !
I think I would have slowed the sarabande down a lot more, but that's the great thing about music. Every musician plays differently and with their own quirks. Without personalization, performances would be a bore. Well done (:
Very beautiful. May be a silly question but : Did you find more dificult to play without shoulder rest on the viola or on the violin?
Hi Michelle, I find it tricky on the violin to play without a shoulder rest. But the viola is already quite high so a shoulder rest always feels too much.
@@maxbailliemusic I have Kuhn shoulder rests for both my violin and viola. I have the viola shoulder rest adjusted lower than my violin shoulder rest.
bagus sekali ! matur suksma 🌹☘️🎻
Fantanstic playing, I myself now have a serious problem with recording my playing, plz tell me what mic do you use for recording. Thanks a lot bro.
Hi I think I used an SE1500 mic for this recording if I remember right...
Mi piace
Which viola is that, it's BEAUTIFUL
hey Trekky thanks, it's made in 2009 by Stephan von Baehr.
@@maxbailliemusic thanks for the info, great performance btw
I now understand Bach to be a discursive art form
wow
Baroque!
DIOOOS
Excellent viola playing and from memory too. Complete control of the instrument and no fear ! I find the tempi too fast and even the discoverer of those suites Pablo, Casals' tempi are much slower . I would not say that Casals is the best I heard , today everybody is doing great also showing technique and speed which I do not agree on. Max is also fast for me in the courantes and gigues I tend to agree with Pablo. At least he is the re-creator of these works.
15,5 inch? 16 inch? 16,5 inch?
enough inch??! do you know I'm not even sure. I think 16 and 1/4 if it's important to know..
Please, what is the BWV?
BWV 1008
Wish that blasted cameraman would stand still. Stop walking around and just let us watch! Or listen, would be better. It’s music not performance art...the camera work is terrible..but the playing is great, thank you!