Dancing with Bach – an afternoon of live music and discussion

JS Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin are among the most exceptional pieces for unaccompanied violin and were modelled on popular dances of the baroque era. Find out about the dances Bach used, how he adapted them and the origins of his personal style. We will explore the history behind the pieces and discuss whether Bach’s compositions were a singular work of genius or the pinnacle of a well-worn compositional path. Discover how composers such as Biber and Westhoff blazed the trail as much as half a century before Bach wrote his collection, and listen to their music.

Local violinist Alice Earll – rapidly making a name for herself in the world of 'historically informed performance' – will introduce and play the music, with opportunities for informal conversation and drinks in the atmospheric Old Baptist Chapel.