When in 2008 Nigel Kennedy came back to the Proms after an absence of 21 years, his Late Night concert with his own quartet followed an early-evening performance of Elgar's Violin Concerto which he capped with a solo Bach encore.
Tonight's special event confirms that JSB continues to mean a great deal to him. The man dubbed 'the people's violinist' has recorded Bach concertos with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and with members of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Discovering something new every time he explores the composer's music, Kennedy points up the parallels with jazz. Bach loved the dance forms of his own day and his music benefits from being played with emotional freedom and a keen rhythmic sense.
Saturday 6 August
10.00pm – c. 11.00pm
Royal Albert Hall
J. S. Bach
Partita for Solo Violin No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006 - No. 1 Preludio (4 mins)
J. S. Bach
Partita for Solo Violin No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004 (36 mins)
J. S. Bach
Das Pendel (arr. Kennedy) (7 mins)
Waller
How can you face me now? (arr. Nigel Kennedy) (7 mins)
(encore)
Waller
Honeysuckle Rose (arr. Nigel Kennedy) (7 mins)
(encore)
Waller
Viper’s Drag (arr. Nigel Kennedy) (5 mins)
(encore)
Nigel Kennedy violin
Rolf Bussald guitar
Yaron Stavi double bass
Krzysztof Dzeidzic percussion
