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Johann Sebastian Bach

Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066 Play Play

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Recorded on 03/13/2009, uploaded on 09/21/2010

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Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, BWV 1066 Johann Sebastian Bach

Ouverture, Courante, Gavotte I, Gavotte II, Forlane, Menuet I, Menuet II, Bourree II, Passepied I, Passepied II

It is thought that much of Bach's chamber music might have been composed during his tenure as Kappeilmeister for Prince Leopold of Anhalt Coethen, which occurred during the years 1717 to 1723. Because the religion of Prince Leopold's court was Calvinist (Reformed) rather than Lutheran, there was no call for figural church music such as Bach was wont to write for Lutheran establishments such as the duchy of Weimar (1709-1717) or the city of Leipzig (1723-1750). Prince Leopold was an avid musician, himself, and surrounded himself with servant/colleagues of the first water. The C Major Suite of Bach begins with a resplendent "Ouverture" in which the principles of the Italian concerto are fully exploited. The trio of double reed instruments serves as the "concertino," or small group of soloists, and the strings function as the "ripieno," or full section. Among the dances heard in this suite, the forlane (a graceful, quick dance in 6/4 time) and the passepied (like a minuet, but faster) are particularly noteworthy. David Shrader