Sunday, March 7, 2010

Reader on 'J. S. Bach Partitas' of Nokuthula Ngwenyama: 'What a thrill it provided me...'

[J. S. Bach Partitas Nos. 1 & 2; Nokuthula Ngwenyama, viola; Michael Long, guitar; EDI Records 6738 (2004)]

Arthur G. Howard responds to our March 6, 2010 post on Nokuthula Ngwenyama's participation in a benefit concert for the Kansas City String Quartet at 3 PM on March 14, 2010:

“I had the privilege of receiving Ms. Ngwenyama's Bach Partita's CD. What a thrill it provided me as I am working on them at the moment on viola. How wonderful if she could complete all the Bach Sonatas and Partitas as they are now all transcribed for viola, which I am sure she is aware of. I also am sure she realizes what a tremendous challenge this presents.

“I spent three years in South Africa, so when I saw her name I realized she would have to have a Zulu background. I'll bet her father must be proud of her now! How beautiful and talented this young lady is. I have also made 2 violas and 2 violins, one of the violas I play and I must say it has a wonderful C-string. It is a Tertis model. I live in Ashland, OR., but would drive anywhere from San Francisco to Seattle to hear her play. Please put me on your mailing list. Again, congratulations to this wonderful musician.
Sincerely, Arthur G. Howard”
[To help you plan your road trips, Ngwenyama's concert dates are found at: http://www.myspace.com/ngwenyama]

“J. S. Bach Partitas Nos. 1 and 2 (S. 1002 & 1004)
Nokuthula Ngwenyama - viola
Michael Long - guitar
Notes by A. Levesque
EDI Records is proud to present a truly breakthrough recording of two of the three partitas by J. S. Bach (1685-1750), originally for solo violin. J. S. Bach managed to complete all of what he termed Sei Solo a Violino senza Basso accompagnato in 1720, and he would be pleased at the form they have evolved into here. It is indeed fortunate the manuscript of these works was re-discovered in 1814 in St. Petersburg among a stack of old paper to be used as wrappings in a butter shop! The arrangements debuted on this album highlight the creative understanding each of these interpreters has for Bach's music.” [Nokuthula Ngwenyama (b. 1976) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]

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