Bach: Complete Works for Lute Yasunori Imamura

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a:
• 1Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: I. Preludio04:13
• 2Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: II. Loure03:58
• 3Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: III. Gavotte en rondeau03:29
• 4Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: IV. Menuet I - V. Menuet II04:43
• 5Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: VI. Bourrée01:51
• 6Lute Partita in E Major, BWV 1006a: VII. Gigue02:27
• Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997:
• 7Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: I. Prelude03:11
• 8Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: II. Fugue07:13
• 9Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: III. Sarabande05:28
• 10Lute Partita in C Minor, BWV 997: IV. Gigue - V. Double06:09
• Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999:
• 11Prelude in C Minor, BWV 99901:55
• Fugue in G Minor, BWV 1000:
• 12Fugue in G Minor, BWV 100005:46
• Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998:
• 13Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998: I. Prelude03:04
• 14Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998: II. Fugue06:32
• 15Prelude, Fugue & Allegro in E-Flat Major, BWV 998: III. Allegro03:48
• Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996:
• 16Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: I. Prelude02:51
• 17Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: II. Allemande03:02
• 18Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: III. Courante02:40
• 19Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: IV. Sarabande04:24
• 20Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: V. Bourrée01:33
• 21Lute Suite in E Minor, BWV 996: VI. Gigue03:48
• Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995:
• 22Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: I. Prelude06:11
• 23Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: II. Allemande06:18
• 24Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: III. Courante02:35
• 25Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: IV. Sarabande02:50
• 26Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: V. Gavotte I - VI. Gavotte II04:43
• 27Lute Suite in G Minor, BWV 995: VII. Gigue02:38
• St. John Passion, BWV 245: No. 19, Betrachte, meine Seel:
• 28St. John Passion, BWV 245: No. 19, Betrachte, meine Seel02:24
• St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244b (Early Version):
• 29St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244b (Early Version): No. 56, Ja! freilich will in uns das Fleisch und Blut00:41
• 30St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244b (Early Version): No. 57, Komm, süßes Kreuz06:31
• Total Runtime01:56:56

Info for 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 for Bach: Complete Works for Lute