Brandenburg Concertos 7-12
Six new Brandenburg Concertos
The musicians of Concerto Copenhagen present six new “Brandenburg Concertos” based on Bach’s own music
Johann Sebastian Bach composed his six Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046–1051, around 1720 as a gift for the Margrave of Brandenburg. As far as we know, Bach never performed the Brandenburg Concertos himself, but he took parts of the music and reused them in other contexts—including as instrumental movements in cantatas.
A similar story applies to Bach’s six organ trio sonatas, BWV 525–530, which were written in the late 1720s in Leipzig. Many of the movements are reworked from previously composed music—music originally intended for other contexts and instruments, but rewritten and adapted for the organ.
Inspired by J. S. Bach’s own frequent reuses and reworkings, oboist Antoine Torunczyk—in close collaboration with the musicians of Concerto Copenhagen—has orchestrated Bach’s six organ trio sonatas, using the Brandenburg Concertos as a model.
In their work on the new “Brandenburg Concertos,” Antoine Torunczyk and the musicians have followed the originals in several ways: both Bach’s use of a wide range of instruments—including several that are very rare today—and the way in which Bach varies and combines instrumentation and roles—solo and accompanying—have served as inspiration, and MON be able to experience, among other things, the oboe da caccia, viola d’amore, and violoncello da spalla. The goal is for the original three-part music from the organ trio sonatas to now appear bright, light, and transparent, with a broad palette of colors from the exotic Baroque instruments.
Antoine Torunczyk and Concerto Copenhagen also hope that our new “Brandenburg Concertos” will strike a balance between the familiar and the fresh. They aim to be unmistakably and recognizably Bach’s work, yet also fresh and innovative. In other words, they should sound like something MON heard before. Whether we’ve succeeded is up to each individual listener!
Previous reviews of the original Brandenburg Concertos
“Everything the heart could desire: down-to-earthness and heavenly aspiration, simplicity and subtlety, tranquility and unpredictability. What a treasure!” – Klassisk, 2018
Six new Brandenburg Concertos
The musicians of Concerto Copenhagen present six new “Brandenburg Concertos” based on Bach’s own music
Johann Sebastian Bach composed his six Brandenburg Concertos, BWV 1046–1051, around 1720 as a gift for the Margrave of Brandenburg. As far as we know, Bach never performed the Brandenburg Concertos himself, but he took parts of the music and reused them in other contexts—including as instrumental movements in cantatas.
A similar story applies to Bach’s six organ trio sonatas, BWV 525–530, which were written in the late 1720s in Leipzig. Many of the movements are reworked from previously composed music—music originally intended for other contexts and instruments, but rewritten and adapted for the organ.
Inspired by J. S. Bach’s own frequent reuses and reworkings, oboist Antoine Torunczyk—in close collaboration with the musicians of Concerto Copenhagen—has orchestrated Bach’s six organ trio sonatas, using the Brandenburg Concertos as a model.
In their work on the new “Brandenburg Concertos,” Antoine Torunczyk and the musicians have followed the originals in several ways: both Bach’s use of a wide range of instruments—including several that are very rare today—and the way in which Bach varies and combines instrumentation and roles—solo and accompanying—have served as inspiration, and MON be able to experience, among other things, the oboe da caccia, viola d’amore, and violoncello da spalla. The goal is for the original three-part music from the organ trio sonatas to now appear bright, light, and transparent, with a broad palette of colors from the exotic Baroque instruments.
Antoine Torunczyk and Concerto Copenhagen also hope that our new “Brandenburg Concertos” will strike a balance between the familiar and the fresh. They aim to be unmistakably and recognizably Bach’s work, yet also fresh and innovative. In other words, they should sound like something MON heard before. Whether we’ve succeeded is up to each individual listener!
Previous reviews of the original Brandenburg Concertos
“Everything the heart could desire: down-to-earthness and heavenly aspiration, simplicity and subtlety, tranquility and unpredictability. What a treasure!” – Klassisk, 2018
PROGRAM
Johann S. Bach ( 1685–1750):
“Brandenburg Concerto” No. 7, after BWV 525
“Brandenburg Concerto” No. 9, after BWV 527
“Brandenburg Concerto” No. 12, after BWV 530
–Break–
“Brandenburg Concerto” No. 10, based on BWV 528
“Brandenburg Concerto” No. 8, after BWV 526
“Brandenburg Concerto” No. 11, after BWV 529
CONCERTS
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