The great progress of civilisation in the first half of the 19th century undoubtedly had a colossal impact on the mentality of the society of that time. The enormous possibilities opened up by the invention of steam engines allowed people to look into the future of human development with great optimism. It can be assumed that for the people of that era, the present and the future were more important than looking back. But at the same time, the development of archaeology, extensive research into the origin of species and humans, and the emerging interest in the art of ancient times also resulted in a fascination with the works of composers from bygone eras.

At this point we come to the essence of our considerations. How would a musician living in the first half of the 19th century interpret a piece written a hundred or so years earlier? Would they try to achieve a rendition as close as possible to the original, or would they rather construct a ‘Neo-baroque edifice’, referring to the architectural practice of that time? The best solution at this point would be to get into a time machine, go to Leipzig in the mid-19th century and make friends with Ferdinand David. Since we do not yet have such an option, one of the substitutes for a vehicle that we can use is David’s violin transcription of the Six Cello Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Zbigniew Pilch.

Translated by Anna Marks.