Bach the completist

This cantata was composed by Bach in 1726 and performed for the first time on Trinity Sunday (early June) of 1727. We have records of two additional performances later on, one in the early 1730’s and one in the 40’s. However, in some ways Bach was looking back in time when he composed BWV 129. […]

The pain of no concerto

While flutists have plenty of music by Bach to keep us entertained, concertos for our instrument are unfortunately not on the list. Musicologist Francesco Zimei has built a solid argument toward the reconstruction of a lost flute concerto by Bach, which could have been the source of musical material for three cantata arias. Working backwards, […]

WTC Book II – D minor & E flat major

Continuing our journey through the Well-Tempered Clavier book 2, today we’ll listen to the D minor and E flat major sets, catalogued as BWV 875 and 876 respectively. Our version today is by the Canadian harpsichordist Kenneth Gilbert, playing on a Flemish 1671 harpsichord by Jan Crouchet with subsequent 18th century modifications by French makers […]

Unstopping praise and glory

This is a cantata for the 12th Sunday after Trinity, composed originally in 1723 and performed for the second time in 1727. Bach was to use it again with a few alterations, in the late 1740’s, for an occasion related to the Town Council. The gospel for this Sunday (Mark 7: 31-37) tells the story […]