Bach, J S: Violin Sonata in G minor, BWV1020

Born in 1965 in Duisburg, Germany, Frank Peter Zimmermann started playing the violin when he was 5 years old, giving his first concert with orchestra at the age of 10.

Frank Peter Zimmermann’s repertoire ranges from baroque to contemporary, and he has premiered several major works, including Brett Dean’s Violin Concerto in 2007. Despite his great versatility however, Zimmermann has always been a constant follower of Johann Sebastian Bach. "I practise Bach every day," the 42-year-old violinist explains. "It is my daily bread, something which will accompany me all my life."

The transcription technique was undoubtedly of great importance in the development of instrumental music prior to Bach, between the 1400s and the 1600s: contaminations between the vocal and instrumental, sacred and secular repertoires were a way to secure reciprocal enrichment between the different genres. There are, in fact, abundant examples of parodies, adaptations and transcriptions made by Bach within his own output. One of the most obvious examples are his 21 transcriptions of string concertos, mostly by Italian authors (Antonio Vivaldi in primis but also Alessandro Marcello and Georg Philipp Telemann), made for harpsichord and organ when he was at the Weimar court. Having Bach’s illustrious examples of flexibility in adapting pieces to different instruments, here are some unusual readings of some of his works transcribed for mandolin and guitar. While keeping as faithful as possible to the original texts, Dorina Frati and Piera Dadomo delightfully abandon themselves to the complex and irresistible game of transcription.