Xiangji Hewitt, baroque violin / baroque viola

James Hewitt, baroque violin

This programme pairs Bach's famous Chaconne for solo violin with James Hewitt's Inventions for violin and viola. The Chaconne weaves variations over a short repeating bass pattern, in a large scale structure produced by waves of virtuoso and rhythmic intensity. Inventions is inspired by contrapuntal works of Bach, in which musical ideas or motives are developed throughout the composition and constantly swap parts. There is considerable rhythmic flexibility, producing a spontaneous and improvisatory atmosphere in which the performers have to react to each other, playing off each others’ lines