Siegbert Rampe

On this recording Siegbert Rampe once again demonstrates his whole vast mastery on various historical instruments. Here he employs two harpsichords, incuding an original by Burkat Shudi from 1771, a fortepiano and two clavichords.

Wilhelm Friedrich was Bach’s eldest son. He was very skilled at improvisation and most of his keyboard compositions are extraordinarily sophisticated musically and extremely difficult technically. The tangent piano is a very rare keyboard instrument resembling a harpsichord and early piano in design.

“Rampe’s historically informed approach, his complementary embellishments in the style of the period and improvised ornamentations in the repetitions, and the employment of instruments from Mozart’s time lend this recording its special appeal – and the overall sound impression is also convincing“ (Pforzheimer Zeitung).

Handel composed most of his keyboard works between 1703 and 1706, during his years in Hamburg. Siegbert Rampe's keen sense for tracking down rare items has led to him recording two world premieres for this recording; one of them, the Chaconne in G HWV 430, is presumed to be the original draft of his famous "Air". Siegbert Rampe plays a large double-manual harpsichord fitted with an additional 16-foot register built by Matthias Kramer.

Siegbert Rampe presents, Three World Premiere Recordings. The Toccata BuxWV 155, reconstructed by Rampe, along with Bach’s Pièce d’Orgue in G major BWV 572a, copied by the composer’s second cousin Johann Gottfried Walther around 1715. Finally the original version of the Toccata in F major BWV 540/1a, which has only recently been discovered.

Master organist, Siegbert Rampe, plays the Organ by Paul Fritts & Co, Tacoma/Washington 1992, after Arp Schnitger, in the Arizona State University, Tempe/USA

This CD features a newly discovered work by Mozart “Das Donnerwetter“ (KV 534a, The Thunderstorm). It receives its premiere recording on this release by pianist Siegbert Rampe and is coupled with the universally renowned “Alla Turca.” Siegbert Rampe performs on an original harpsichord from 1771 by Burkat Shudi, a Swissborn master builder of keyboard instruments.