Le Concert Français, the ensemble on this recording, was founded in 1986 by a group of friends, including the Hantaï brothers, who shared a passion for Baroque music and musicological research.
Composition History
Bach, like his contemporaries, often composed "occasional works" for events such as princely birthdays, weddings, or university retirements.
Composition History
Despite extensive research over 150 years, many of Bach's works are still lost, including around a hundred sacred cantatas, three Passions, and numerous concertos and suites from his time in Cöthen.
Historical Context
The instrumental suite genre originated in France and was associated with the elegance and refinement of the court of Versailles, which was considered the standard for all things.
Compositional Technique
Bach often reused secular pieces, especially concerto movements, in his sacred cantatas, as there was no fundamental difference between music for court, chamber, town, or church at the time.
Compositional Technique
The instrumental suite, often called 'Ouverture' after its main first section, was a popular form of festive music, with the Ouverture sometimes making up a third of the entire work.
Composer Biography
Bach's friend, Georg Philipp Telemann, was an incredibly prolific composer, writing around six hundred suites, a number even he couldn't precisely recall.
