BACH

 

Brandenburg Concertos

Violin Concertos

 

Bath Festival Orchestra / Yehudi Menuhin

 

Johann Sebastian Bach collected six concertos together, which must have been written over a considerable period such is their difference in style, for dedication to the Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg in March 1721. It is thought that either Bach was commissioned or seeking a move from Cöthen to become chapel organist at the princely court, but what is certain he did not get a new job nor even a letter of thanks from the Margrave whose orchestra was too small to perform them. They have become popular classics in their field owing to their being distinctly different from the standard type of concerto grosso. This Bach achieved by the use of a variety of solo combinations and the virtuosity required by these soloists. The concertos for violin also date from his time in Cöthen and have become favourites of soloists and audiences alike through their charm and beauty. Yehudi Menuhin was a leading exponent of the music of Bach throughout his life and here he conducts and plays with his Bath Festival Orchestra in recordings dating from 1958/9.

 

EMI Gemini 2cds 2176172