J. S. Bach spent November 1717 in a jail cell for breaking his Weimar contract to move to an appointment at Köthen, which he regarded as his dream job.
Composer Biography
Bach experienced immense personal tragedy in Köthen, including the death of his first wife, Barbara, and his son, Leopold Augustus, within a year.
Historical Context
Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen, Bach's employer, was a Calvinist and avoided complex church music, allowing Bach to focus on secular instrumental compositions.
Compositional Technique
The Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 is considered one of the most audacious musical experiments in the canon, as Bach pushes beyond conventional formal principles.
Composition History
Bach's time in Köthen (1717-1723) was his happiest and most fruitful period, where he composed works like the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier.
Compositional Technique
In Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, the harpsichord, usually a continuo instrument, takes on a prominent solo role, even 'hijacking' the piece.
Interpretation
For this recording, the ensemble adopted a pitch of 400hz, a full tone below the modern 440hz, to reflect the probable low French pitch used in Bach's time.
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