Sei Solo Thomas Bowes

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001:
• 1Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: I. Adagio06:19
• 2Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: II. Fugue. Allegro06:05
• 3Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: III. Siciliana03:54
• 4Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: IV. Presto04:01
• Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002:
• 5Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: I. Allemanda06:20
• 6Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: II. Double03:28
• 7Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: III. Corrente03:45
• 8Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: IV. Double. Presto03:50
• 9Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: V. Sarabanda04:26
• 10Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: VI. Double02:42
• 11Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: VII. Tempo di bourrée03:27
• 12Violin Partita No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1002: VIII. Double03:32
• Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003:
• 13Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: I. Grave06:08
• 14Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: II. Fuga08:24
• 15Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: III. Andante07:02
• 16Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: IV. Allegro06:46
• Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004:
• 17Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: I. Allemanda05:42
• 18Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: II. Corrente02:49
• 19Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: III. Sarabande05:16
• 20Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: IV. Gigue04:50
• 21Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Ciaccona18:27
• Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005:
• 22Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: I. Adagio05:32
• 23Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: II. Fugue11:22
• 24Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: III. Largo04:07
• 25Violin Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: IV. Allegro assai05:50
• Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006:
• 26Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: I. Prélude03:55
• 27Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: II. Loure04:13
• 28Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: III. Gavotte en rondeau02:51
• 29Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: IV. Menuets I & II04:37
• 30Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: V. Bourrée01:27
• 31Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: VI. Gigue02:36
• Total Runtime02:43:43

Info for Sei Solo

Thomas Bowes' SEI SOLO shines the spotlight on the sonatas and partitas for solo violin composed by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1720. Bowes believes that these six stand-alone compositions, while each individually offering insight into Bach's genius reveal more when taken as one epic work - and especially when set against the tragedy in Bach’s life in the year of composition.

The three discs in Bowes’ album contain a total of six tracks. Each disc starts with a sonata and concludes with a partita, moving through different keys. The sonatas showcase a larger, more abstract expression, while movements in the partitas are more focused on elements of the dance.

Bowes views these six compositions as a vehicle for exploration into the existential, taking his cue from Bach’s cryptic title ‘sei solo’, which reads ‘you are alone’, punning on the Italian for ‘6’ and ‘you are’.

Though the performer flies solo on all of the tracks, he reaches well beyond the limitations of just one instrument. The focus and attention the violinist brings to all six tracks draws the listener into a meditative state of mind. It’s almost as if Bowes is performing solely for each individual listener, providing an intimate experience that demands attention yet allows room for contemplation.

Thomas Bowes, violin

Thomas Bowes
is one of the UK’s most versatile and accomplished violinists – as a soloist, chamber musician, concertmaster and artistic director.

His concerto work in the UK, Germany and the USA has included performances of the Elgar, Walton, Britten and Szymanowski concertos. At the invitation of the late Lady Walton, Tom spent three weeks on Ischia studying the history and score of the Walton concerto. His subsequent critically acclaimed recording of the work (along with the Barber concerto) reveals a special connection to Walton’s music.

Tom undertook an extensive ‘Bach Pilgrimage’ in 2013, giving fifty concerts of the unaccompanied Sonatas and Partitas of JS Bach in churches across mainland Britain and raising over £20,000 for various charities. His recording the works is due for release in early summer 2018 when he will be again be making a Bach Pilgrimage across Britain. Further Pilgrimages are planned for every year.

Tom’s partnership with his wife, the composer and pianist Eleanor Alberga, has played a significant role throughout his career. As the duo “Double Exposure” they toured extensively across the USA, made a ground-breaking trip to China in 1997 and gave regular performances and broadcasts in the UK. The Duo established a reputation for adventurous programming and regularly performed commissions and world premieres of American and British composers.

As an enthusiastic champion of the music of Eleanor Alberga, Tom gave the world premiere of her first Violin Concerto with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Joseph Swensen. A second Alberga concerto is in the midst of composition and a premiere is planned for the 2019/20 season.

Chamber music has been a major part of Tom’s artistic life – he was the founding leader of the Maggini Quartet – and between 2003 and 2016 he was the Artistic Director of the Langvad Chamber Music Jamboree in northern Denmark. More recently, with Eleanor Alberga, he founded the music festival Arcadia in north Herefordshire, England. Central to the ethos of both festivals is to bring fresh, authentic and vibrant music making to local communities and their audiences.

Equally at home in the commercial recording studio, Tom is in great demand as soloist and concertmaster and works closely with many of today’s most eminent film composers. Amongst numerous film credits are such hit-movies as the Bond films “Spectre” and “Skyfall”, The Hunger Games trilogy, “The King’s Speech” and “The Da Vinci Code”. Tom is privileged to own and play a violin by one of the great Cremonese makers - a splendid 1659 Nicolo Amati.

Booklet for Sei Solo