Johann Sebastian Bach

Not only violinists are eternally grateful to Antonio Vivaldi for the sheer abundance of concert works he bequeathed. The instrument he wrote for with the second greatest frequency is the bassoon (!), for which he created about forty concertos. Two of the most celebrated bookend Václav Vonášek’s debut recording and are supplemented by pieces by other 18th-century masters, J. S. Bach, C. P. E. Bach and G. F. Handel. Vonášek has primarily arranged for the bassoon compositions intended for the flute, as was customary in the Baroque period. They demonstrate the soloist’s exceptional qualities, for which he has garnered a number of accolades – first prizes at the International Double Reed Society competition (Melbourne, 2004) and the Prague Spring international competition (2009), third prize at the ARD Competition in Munich (2008). Václav Vonášek, accompanied by the distinguished young ensemble Barocco sempre giovane, makes the bassoon sing, unleashes a tempest and conjures up the dreamy atmosphere of the night...

The bassoon in the hands of a true master – virtuosic, colourful, enchanting.

Following on from their reissues taken from Helmut Rilling’s Complete Works of Bach, this 11-CD set takes the Complete Orchestral Works and packages them in a slimline style box set for the first time.

Apart from the famous Brandenburg Concertos and the concertos, this box set also includes reconstructions of works originally intended for other solo instruments, all of which are discussed in the extensive booklet essay on the possibilities and limits of musical reconstruction.

The musicians performing on this interesting set include early recordings from violinists Isabelle Faust and Christoph Poppen, plus the Oregan Bach Festival Orchestra and of course maestro Helmuth Rilling conducting the Bach-Collegium Stuttgart.

Released as part of Herr Rilling’s 80th birthday celebrations.

Susanne Heinrich’s first two solo recordings were a big success: Mr Abel’s Fine Airs, released on Hyperion, won a Gramophone Award and a Diapason d’Or in 2008. Passion and Division, solo viol music by Captain Tonias Hume, also released on Hyperion, was selected as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice when released in 2010.

This new recording on her own label, is less conventional and totally ground-breaking: BWV1003, 1004 and 1006 (violin solo sonata 2 and the Partitas 2 and 3), have been transcribed for the bass viol. This is an amazing achievement and tour de force on an instrument that is twice the size of a violin!

Previous CDs have generated positive praise from the press:

“One of the experiences of the Year.” CD Review

“A gem in its own right.” International Record Review

“Ravishingly beautiful and deeply moving.” The Strad

Magazine

Jan Vogler is an internationally-known cellist and Echo prize-winner.

He is the General Director of the Dresden Musikfestspiele and founder and Artistic Director of the Moritzburg Chamber Music Festival.

His career has featured him with renowned conductors like Lorin Maazel, Fabio Luisi and internationally acclaimed orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago, Symphony Orchestra, the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and the Vienna Symphony.

The Suites for Cello are among the most popular works by J.S. Bach and represent a challenge for every cellist.

For the first time in his career Jan Vogler has performed the Suites for Solo Cello over two evenings at the MDR Music Summer in 2012. After his brilliant performances he decided to record all 6 Cello Suites.