Reminding the heart
Cantata 145 has something of a confusing history. Its only source is a copy from the early 19th century, and it came to us with two movements added at the beginning: a chorale by Bach, or possibly by his son Carl Philipp Emanuel, and a choral movement by Telemann. Most modern conductors choose to perform […]
WTC II – G minor & A flat major
For our next set of preludes and fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book 2, let’s go back to Trevor Pinnock’s recent recording on David Way’s instrument, copy of a mid-1700s Henri Hemsch. G minor This prelude is the only one in the whole book that has a tempo marking – Largo. It’s a dotted-rhythm piece […]
A symphonic statement
This cantata, first performed on June 6th, 1729 for Pentecost Monday (“Whit Monday”), features a libretto by Picander. It elaborates on the opening words of the Gospel of the day, John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”, for each movement of the libretto. The piece opens with a […]
