Bach, J S: Trio Sonatas Nos. 1-6, BWV525-530

The wealth of secular and sacred music Bach produced in his lifetime belies the fact that very few bona fide works for chamber ensemble exist (or survive). This prompted us, with a great sense of humility and deference towards the master, to increase our chamber repertoire with these beguiling gems.

Our task of adapting these pieces for varying combinations of instruments can also be seen as harking back to Bach’s own interest in transferring styles and idioms from other works to a solo or group of instruments, and vice-versa, something which he explored particularly during his years of employment at the ducal court in Weimar (1708-1717).

Regular performances in some of the world’s most prestigious venues have confirmed Florilegium’s status as one of Britain’s most outstanding period instrument ensemble. Since their formation in 1991 they have established a reputation for stylish and exciting interpretations, from intimate chamber works to large-scale orchestral and choral repertoire.

Continuing its work with the rising stars of the early music world, CORO is delighted to be releasing a brand new recording by one of The Sixteen Orchestra’s principal members - organist Robert Quinney.

Recorded at The Queen’s College, Oxford, on the beautiful Frobenius Organ (one of the most notable instruments of its kind in the country), the Trio Sonatas are among Bach's most popular and appealing organ works. Complied in the composer’s later years, perhaps as studies for his eldest son Wilhelm Friedemann, the Trio Sonatas are a unique set of works in the organ repertory. Bach transferred to the organ the Italian trio sonata with its two treble voices and bass continuo; for the organ works, Bach uses right hand, left hand, and pedal.

Robert Quinney is Sub-Organist of Westminster Abbey and played at the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in April. In addition to his daily work at the Abbey, he maintains a busy freelance schedule as a soloist and ensemble player, and is also Director of Oundle for Organists, whose residential courses offer inspiring tuition for young organists. His double compact disc The Grand Organ of Westminster Cathedral, recorded in 2004, was Instrumental Disc of the Month in BBC Music, earned a 5-star review in the French journal Diapason, and was an Editor’s Choice in Gramophone.

“Alongside his impeccable performances, Quinney’s greatest achievement is to produce music-making which really communicates itself to the listener’.” GRAMOPHONE

The six trio sonatas stand out as an almost unique exception in Bach’s output for the organ, essentially composed for the Lutheran liturgy in a style that is frequently much more severe and sometimes positively out of step with the tastes of his time.

To serve them K617 give us three organs from the Felsberg factory contributing their rich palette of timbres, played by the fingers and feet of young Swiss virtuoso Benjamin Righetti, 1st prize G. Silbermann of Freiberg (2005) and the International Organ Competition of the City of Paris (2007).

3 instruments: Orgelbau FELSBERG R. • Freytag Tricoteaux J.-M. St. Paul, Lausanne (1986) Triosonaten I & II; The Chiésaz St. Légier (1997) Triosonaten III & IV; Temple, Boudry (1994) Triosonaten V & VI

Within J. S. Bach’s wonderfully rich organ repertoire, the six organ trio sonatas are unique in their degree of difficulty and musical splendour. The version represented on this CD features the instrumental combination of recorder and harpsichord or organ. Occasional alterations had to be made to accommodate the recorder. Some keys have been altered to suit the range of the recorder, something Bach also did regularly with his own arrangements. Over the past centuries, the organ trio sonatas have inspired many musicians to make arrangements. In this particular instrumental version the six sonatas form a welcome and invaluable addition to the 18th-century recorder repertoire.

Reine-Marie Verhagen studied the recorder with Pieter van Veen and Walter van Hauwe and graduated in 1976. She is a regular member of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Ton Koopman, and has performed in several 17th century operas with the ensemble La Sfera Armoniosa and its musical director Mike Fentross.

Tini Mathot first studied piano, then harpsichord, at the Sweelinck Conservatory of Music in her home town of Amsterdam. She works closely together with her husband and former teacher Ton Koopman, a duo which performs numerous well- and less-known works for harpsichord, fortepiano and organ. Tini Mathot is recording producer for Ton Koopman, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir. Tini Mathot is mainly active as a performing musician in the field of chamber music. She is a member of the Corelli Ensemble, along with Reine Marie Verhagen. She was awarded the Diapason d’Or in France for the interpretation of the Haydn Trios on CD, released by Erato (with Andrew Manze, violin, and Jaap ter Linden, violoncello).

These six trio sonatas are undoubtedly among Bach’s absolute masterpieces. Their formal balance and natural melodic lines conceal their purpose very well; Bach wanted to give his young son Wilhelm Friedmann a series of exercises that would allow him to present himself to the musical world as an accomplished organ virtuoso. Ghielmi has specialised in the study and performance of music of this period.

Transcribers and arrangers have had a field day during the great rediscovery of J.S. Bach.… But the transcriptions of the organ works, meant to get the works out of the temple and bring them to the stage, played a particularly important part. The Trio-Sonatas, for a long time considered unplayable in concert, caught the attention of important personalities of the piano, from Ferdinand Thieriot, friend of Brahms, to ‘Mr Bach’, Hermann Keller, in 20th century Germany. Rediscovered by Arthur Schanz, scientific adviser for this production and undisputed specialist regarding Bach’s transcriptions, these sonatas in their version for two pianos, performed here by a duo of partners on stage as in life, provide sheer pleasure to the ear and mind. They also contribute to a never-ending task, dear to Fuga Libera: the reflexion on the genius of Bach.

The Brook Street Band, feted for their imaginative and stylish Handel recordings offer their first of the music of J S Bach.

The Brook Street Band burst on to the scene in 2003 with their Avie debut, the world premiere recording of Handel’s ‘Oxford’ Water Music, a genuine chamber arrangement of the composer’s ever-popular suite which earned the period-instrument ensemble an Editor’s Choice from Gramophone. Since then the all-girl group, named for the London street where Handel lived and composed for most of his working life in England, has released three further Handel surveys which prove their own adept skills at arranging.

They now apply the age-old practice to their first recording of the music of J S Bach, adapting his Organ Sonatas to their own instrumentation of two violins, harpsichord and cello. The result is yet another unique approach from the Brook Street Band, whose sheer pleasure in sharing this wonderful music shines though in their radiant renditions.

“The Band is as deliciously poised and pertinent as ever.” BBC Music Magazine

“The smartest new baroque band around.” The Times

“Stylish and imaginative…Their pleasure in the music is infectious.” Gramophone