Bach, J.S.: Concertos for Solo Harpsichord (Complete)

Featuring

Elizabeth Farr
Johann Sebastian Bach

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Composition History

Prince Johann Ernst, nephew of Duke Wilhelm, brought Italian concerto scores back to Weimar from Amsterdam and requested Bach to transcribe them.

Compositional Technique

In Bach's transcriptions, ornamental elaborations typically improvised by soloists in the original concertos are fully notated in the slow movements.

Composition History

During his Weimar period, J. S. Bach transcribed 22 concertos by Italian and German composers for keyboard instruments.

Historical Context

Bach's cousin, Johann Gottfried Walther, also made concerto transcriptions during the same period, suggesting a common practice.

Performer Biography

Elizabeth Farr, the harpsichordist on this recording, specializes in 17th and 18th-century keyboard music and has received multiple awards for her recordings.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Bach's concerto transcriptions played a crucial role in establishing him as the greatest organist and harpsichordist in Germany.

Instruments

This recording uses a large two-manual harpsichord built by Keith Hill, featuring a 16' set of strings and two buff stops for a powerful and varied sound.