TwoSet Violin: Bach in Style

There’s no one quite like Brett Yang and Eddy Chen, aka the brilliant comedy music duo TwoSet Violin. Equipped with a natural charm, infectious humour, and innate musicianship, these former professional players produce and present videos that poke gentle and often perceptive and revealing fun at all aspects of the classical world, from rehearsals and audiences to current musical trends. Behind the laughter, however, Yang and Chen clearly possess a deep passion for music, which they celebrate in this playlist. Bach in Style, TwoSet Violin tells Apple Music Classical, “is a handpicked selection of Bach’s masterpieces, inviting listeners to embark on a musical adventure that transcends time and genre, rediscovering the genius of Bach, in style.” There are plenty of renowned performances to discover here. Among Two Set’s string heroes is the legendary Yehudi Menuhin, whose powerful 1934 performance of Bach’s mighty Chaconne influenced violinists for decades to come. There’s Glenn Gould, another Bach luminary, playing the “Aria” from the Goldberg Variations (here, from his second, 1981 recording). And you’ll encounter one of the finest modern exponents of the Cello Suites, Yo-Yo Ma, whose 1983 release confirmed him as one of classical music’s true greats. There are rarities to savour, too—Otto Klemperer’s 1957 recording of the “Badinerie” from the Orchestral Suite No. 2 proves surprisingly nimble, while Herbert Karajan brings an almost cinematic sheen to the “Air” from Orchestral Suite No. 3. But alongside the tradition is performance innovation—as TwoSet Violin says, this is where “Baroque meets modern flair.” And so it proves with violinists Hilary Hahn, Salvatore Accardo, Midori, Augustin Hadelich, and Leonidas Kavakos, whose electrifying albums all show in abundance that there’s still much more to say about Bach’s solo violin music.