Brandenburg Concertos: Performance Videos

Concerto No. 1 in F, BWV 1046

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra: i. Allegro moderato ii. Adagio iii. Allegro iv. Menuetto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II
Münchener Bach - Orchester (Karl Richter): i. Allegro moderato ii. Adagio iii. Allegro iv. Menuetto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II
Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl):i. Allegro moderato, ii. Adagio iii. Allegro, iv. Menuetto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II

Concerto No. 2 in F, BWV 1047

Freiburg Baroque Orchestra: i. [Allegro] ii. Andante iii. Allegro assai
Münchener Bach - Orchester (Karl Richter): i. [Allegro], ii. Andante iii. Allegro assai
Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl): i. [Allegro] ii. Andante iii. Allegro assai

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 1/i: Allegro moderato

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 1/ii: Adagio

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 1/iii: Allegro

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 1/iv: Menuetto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II

Münchener Bach-Orchester (Karl Richter): Concerto No. 1/i: Allegro moderato

Münchener Bach-Orchester (Karl Richter): Concerto No. 1/ii: Adagio

Münchener Bach-Orchester (Karl Richter): Concerto No. 1/iii: Allegro

Münchener Bach-Orchester (Karl Richter): Concerto No. 1/iv: Menuetto - Trio I - Polacca - Trio II

Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl): Concerto No. 1/i: Allegro moderato, ii: Adagio

Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl): Concerto No. 1/iii: Allegro, iv: Menuetto – Trio – Polacca – Trio II

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 2/i: [Allegro ]

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 2/ii: Andante

Freiburg Chamber Orchestra: Concerto No. 2/iii: Allegro assai

Münchener Bach-Orchester (Karl Richter): Concerto No. 2/i: [Allegro], ii: Andante

Münchener Bach-Orchester (Karl Richter): Concerto No. 2/iii: Allegro assai

Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl): Concerto No. 2/i: [Allegro]

Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl): Concerto No. 2/ii: Andante

Musica Florea (Marek Štryncl): Concerto No. 2/iii: Allegro assai

Bach's Letter to the Margrave

In the spring of 1721, a thick musical manuscript arrived in Berlin at the residence of Christian Ludwig, the Margrave of Brandenburg, uncle of the King of Prussia. Accompanying it was an obsequious letter in courtly French, signed by an obscure court composer in the service of Leopold von Anhalt-Köthen, far to the west. The letter read:

Monseigneur;

As I had the pleasure a couple of years ago of being heard by Your Royal Highness, in accordance with your commands, and observing that you took some delight in the small musical talent that Heaven has granted me, and as, when I took my leave of Your Royal Highness, you did the honor of requesting that I send you some of my compositions, I have therefore followed your most gracious commands, and taken the liberty of discharging my humble obligation to Your Royal Highness with the present concertos which I have adapted to several instruments, begging you most humbly not to judge their imperfections by the standards of that refined and delicate taste in music that everyone knows you to possess, but rather to accept, with benign consideration, the profound respect and most humble devotion that I attempt to show by this means. For the rest, Monseigneur, I most humbly beg Your Royal Highness to be so kind as to continue your good grace towards me, and to be assured that I desire nothing more than to be employed on occasions more worthy of you and your service, being with unparalleled zeal, Monseigneur,

Your Royal Highness's most humble and obedient servant,

Jean Sebastien Bach

The concertos in question were the six that have come down to us as the Brandenburg Concertos, and they are widely held to be Bach's most important works in concerto form, as well as the epitome of High Baroque orchestral composition.

There is no evidence that Christian Ludwig ever heard them performed.

Brandenburg Concertos

Introduction

Performance Videos

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