Johann Sebastian Bach? His very name arouses admiration, while his art generally provokes wonder, even ecstasy... To 'pay homage' to Bach is to acknowledge his special status - if not the God, at least the Pope of musicians: an unquestionable and unquestioned title. (...) Yet it cannot be denied that, at the end of the Age of Enlightenment, his works were largely unknown. It would take several decades after that for them to enter the repertory. Following four performances during Bach's lifetime, the St Matthew Passion, one of his greatest masterpieces, was not given again until 1829, under the direction of Mendelssohn. The Brandenburg Concertos were published only in 1850, after being rediscovered in the Berlin archives. And it was not until the early twentieth century that Pablo Casals revived the Cello Suites. (...) A second 'Bach Revival' took place in the early 1960s. It's origin? A revolution in performance practice, driven by the Baroque movement embodied by Alfred Deller, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Gustav Leonhardt and many other musicians. Their aim: to play Bach with the instruments of his time, in the style of his time, with the performing forces and instruments he had intended. (...) The artists assembled here have taken this philosophy on board in their interpretations. Whether playing early or modern instruments, they offer us a Bach for today and transport us, if not to ecstasy, at least to the best of all worlds.
2 Johannes-Passion, BW 245-IX. Aria: Ich Folge Dir Gleichfalls
3 Johannes-Passion, BW 245-VII. Aria: Von Den Stricken Meiner Sünden
4 Johannes-Passion, BW 245-XXV. Chorale: Ruht Wohl, Ihr Heiligen Gebeine
5 Johannes-Passion, BW 245-XXVI. Chorale: Ach Herr, Laß Dein Lieb Engelein
6 Choral. Als Jesus Christus in Der Nacht, BWV 265
7 Cantata Herr, Wie Du Willt, So Schick's Mit Mir, BWV 73-I. Chorus and Recitative: Herr, Wie Du Willt, So Schick's Mit Mir
8 Johannes-Passion, BWV 245-Choral. O Grosse Lieb
9 Cantata Christ Lag in Todesbanden, BWV 4-III. Duet Den Tod Niemand Zwingen Kunnt
10 Johannes-Passion, BWV 245-Choral: Wer Hat Dich So Geschlagen
11 Cantata in E Major Es Ist Dir Gesagt, Mensch, Was Gut Ist, BWV 45-I. Chorus. Es Ist Dir Gesagt, Mensch, Was Gut Ist
12 Johannes-Passion, BWV 245-Choral. Ach Großer König
13 Cantata Sie Werden Euch in Den Bann Tun, BWV 44-IV. Aria: Es Ist Und Bleibt Der Christen Trost
14 Johannes Passion, BWV 245-Choral: Durch Dein Gefängnis
15 Cantata Gott Der Herr Ist Sonn Und Schild, BWV 79-I. Chorus. Gott Der Herr Ist Sonn Und Schild
16 Cantata. Ich Armer Mensch, Ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55-III. Aria. Erbarme Dich!
17 St. Matthew Passion in E minor, Pt. 2, BWV 244-39. Erbarme Dich
18 Motet Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neues Lied, BWV 225-Singet Dem Herrn Ein Neues Lied
19 Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243-Choral. Magnificat Anima Mea
20 Missa Brevis in B minor, BWV 232-Gloria. I. Gloria in Excelsis Deo
21 Missa Brevis in B minor, BWV 232-Gloria. II. Et in Terra Pax
- Disc 2 -
1 Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048-I. Allegro - II. Adagio
2 Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048-III. Allegro
3 Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050-I. Allegro
4 Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B Flat Major, BWV 1051-III. Allegro
5 Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043-I. Vivace
6 Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043-II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
7 Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043-III. Allegro
8 Concerto for Oboe D'amore in D Major-I
9 Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068-II. Air
10 Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067-VII. Badinerie
11 Concerto for Violin No. 1 in a Minor, BWV 1041-III. Allegro Assai
12 Concerto for Violin No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1042-II. Adagio
13 Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052-I. Allegro
14 Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056-II. Largo
15 Concerto for Two Keyboards in C Major, BWV 1061-III. Fuga. Vivace
16 Concerto for Four Keyboards in a Minor BWV 1065-III. Allegro
- Disc 3 -
1 Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079-Ricercar a 6
2 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Prelude I in C Major, BWV 846
3 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Fugue I in C Major, BWV 846
4 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Prelude II in C minor, BWV 847
5 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Fugue II in C minor, BWV 847
6 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Prelude V in D Major, BWV 850
7 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Fugue V in D Major, BWV 850
8 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Prelude VI in D minor, BWV 851
9 Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1-Fugue VI in D minor, BWV 851
10 Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007-I. Prélude
11 Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012-I. Prélude
12 Concerto in D minor, BWV 974-I. Allegro
13 Concerto in D minor, BWV 974-II. Adagio
14 Concerto in D minor, BWV 974-III. Presto
15 Partita for Violin Solo No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006-I. Preludio
16 Partita in a Minor, BWV 1013-IV. Bourrée Anglaise
17 Goldberg Variations, BWV 988-Aria
18 Violin Sonata No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017-I. Largo
19 Sonata for Flute and Harpsichord in B minor, BWV 1030-I. Andante
20 Flute Sonata in E minor, BWV 1034-II. Allegro
21 Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme
22 Fugue in G Moll, BWV 578
23 Toccata and Fugue in D Moll, BWV 565
Johann Sebastian Bach? His very name arouses admiration, while his art generally provokes wonder, even ecstasy... To 'pay homage' to Bach is to acknowledge his special status - if not the God, at least the Pope of musicians: an unquestionable and unquestioned title. (...) Yet it cannot be denied that, at the end of the Age of Enlightenment, his works were largely unknown. It would take several decades after that for them to enter the repertory. Following four performances during Bach's lifetime, the St Matthew Passion, one of his greatest masterpieces, was not given again until 1829, under the direction of Mendelssohn. The Brandenburg Concertos were published only in 1850, after being rediscovered in the Berlin archives. And it was not until the early twentieth century that Pablo Casals revived the Cello Suites. (...) A second 'Bach Revival' took place in the early 1960s. It's origin? A revolution in performance practice, driven by the Baroque movement embodied by Alfred Deller, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Gustav Leonhardt and many other musicians. Their aim: to play Bach with the instruments of his time, in the style of his time, with the performing forces and instruments he had intended. (...) The artists assembled here have taken this philosophy on board in their interpretations. Whether playing early or modern instruments, they offer us a Bach for today and transport us, if not to ecstasy, at least to the best of all worlds.
