Bertrand Cuiller won third prize at the Bruges International Harpsichord Competition in 1998 while still a student.
Composer Biography
Bach frequently performed at the harpsichord alongside his pupils, his sons Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel, and his wife Anna Magdalena, a talented singer.
Interpretation
Stradivaria, the ensemble on this recording, aims to recapture a 'Stradivaria sound' that is rich, brilliant, and lively, in contrast to the heavier interpretations influenced by Romanticism.
Composition History
Bach's keyboard concertos were likely intended for public concerts at the Leipzig Collegium Musicum, an ensemble he directed from 1729-1737 and again from 1739-1741.
Compositional Technique
To create new works for the Collegium Musicum, Bach often 'recycled' his own compositions or those of others by transcribing them for harpsichord, adjusting keys, enriching the bass, and decorating melodic lines.
Instruments
The harpsichord played by Bertrand Cuiller on this recording is a copy of a late 17th-century French instrument that was rebuilt to extend its keyboard compass.
Performer Biography
Bertrand Cuiller, the harpsichordist on this album, began playing at age eight with his mother and later studied with renowned harpsichordist Pierre Hantaï.
