This is the Adagio movement from J. S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major, BWV 1042, performed by violinist Shunske Sato and the Netherlands Bach Society as part of the All of Bach project. The performance uses period instruments and follows a historically informed performance approach, aiming to recreate the sound and style of Bach’s time as closely as possible. Of the more than 1,500 works Bach composed, only three violin concertos have survived to the present day. He likely composed others, but they were lost over time. In the case of BWV 1042, both the original score and all the original instrumental parts have been lost. The oldest surviving handwritten copy dates from 1760 and was made by Johann Friedrich Hering, a copyist who had worked for Bach. Considered one of Bach’s best-known violin concertos, BWV 1042 consists of three movements: Allegro, Adagio, and Allegro assai, following the fast-slow-fast structure characteristic of the Italian concerto tradition. The Adagio stands out for its expressive, contemplative melody, creating a deeply moving and introspective musical atmosphere. Do you think this Adagio is one of the most beautiful melodies you’ve ever heard?