Lammermuir Festival: Maria Wloszczowska and Jeremy Denk Play Bach

Prestonkirk Parish Church - 13/09/22

The organ, the doors to the vestry, the pulpit are all in a dark varnish against which the bulky Steinway piano almost disappears. My neighbour confesses to disliking the Baroque, which hasn’t stopped him coming. We discuss briefly whether Bach’s harpsichord works should be played on the piano. The purist in me favours original instruments, but I can’t think of anyone who’s made an impact like pianists Glenn Gould or Angela Hewitt. 

Festival Director James Waters introduces the programme, revealing that it was he who introduced the two players to each other; as a result they have “musically fallen in love”. It’s a promise that their playing fulfils. 

My seat is perfectly positioned. I see Jeremy’s face above the piano; Maria stands parallel to him to enable eye contact, so she’s directly facing me – wonderful! I’m so close I can hear her inbreath as she attacks the violin. I can see Jeremy’s feet tapping on the pedals, often just tapping in space. She dances with her whole body, seldom in the same position for more than a moment.  Jeremy is more stable, but his face and head tremble to the rhythm. 

Partita 2 

They start with Number 2. An excited first movement, followed by a lyrical second, the violin line sad though still warm, piano in a different mood, walking along. The third movement I recognise; has Bach used this melody elsewhere? Has someone taken it as a theme tune? The whole set is virgin territory for me, but here and there in the programme some passages are reassuringly familiar. 

Partita 1 

Gentle piano sound; the violin reaching for the spiritual, the ineffable. Both players are clearly putting in great energy; for her pure joy; for him, more signs of work discipline. When the Allegro last movement comes, the speed of both players is simply incredible. My neighbour whispers “If only Bach could have heard it played like that”. 

Partita 3 

Maria stands ready, then notices she’s on the wrong page of her score, adjusts it with a smile that the audience share. An Adagio brings caressing sounds from both. Some people think of Bach as formal, mathematical; this music is emotional, satisfying like a glass of vintage wine. The Allegro another familiar tune, the Andante full of meaning beyond words. The final Allegro again so fast even the audience feel out of breath.  

Partita 4 

My thoughts are on the strangeness of this gathering. Music written before the invention of the steam engine still moves an audience, calling for the finest efforts of a pair of highly trained professionals. Jeremy’s hands in the Presto are saying “We are on our way”. 

Partita 5 

The Largo is warm and reassuring; sustained notes on the violin speak of a different mood from the piano’s confident progressions. In the Allegro the two come back together. Contrast again in the Adagio before reaching home to a merry conclusion in the Vivace. 

Partita 6 

This has a different structure: five movements including a solo for piano. Listening to that, I realise the piano can express feelings the harpsichord could never match. We reach the end with a jig. Their dazzling speed and virtuosity bring us to the end of a wonderful journey. Jeremy is still singing under his breath as the pair bow to a standing ovation.