La Petite Bande was formed in 1972 by Sigiswald Kuijken at the instigation of Harmonia Mundi to record Lully's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, aiming for authentic sound and interpretation.
Composer Biography
Sigiswald Kuijken, the conductor of La Petite Bande, introduced a historically authentic Baroque violin technique in 1969 where the instrument rests on or under the collarbone, influencing many performers.
Interpretation
This recording features a solo performance with only four singers for Buxtehude's "Das Neugeborne Kindelein" to recreate its original intimate atmosphere, rather than a modern choir.
Compositional Technique
Telemann's Missa sopra 'Ein Kindelein so löbelich' uses a German hymn melody as a strict cantus firmus in a four-part polyphonic movement in stile antico over a Latin mass text.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The Christmas cantatas by Buxtehude, Bach, and Telemann allow listeners to "peer into the composer's heart" by revealing their different approaches to celebrating the birth of Christ.
Performer Biography
In 2004, Sigiswald Kuijken reintroduced the Violoncello da spalla (shoulder cello) into practical performance, an instrument likely intended by Bach for his cello solos.
Compositional Technique
Telemann's cantata "O Jesu Christ, dein Kripplein ist mein Paradies" includes an aria where the violins imitate a hen's clucking, a playful element reminiscent of opera buffa.
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