Historical performance recordings and programs established in a specific time and place, or among specific musicians, have become commonplace. Yet those exploring the musical circle of a monarch are not so common, even though the king in question here, Frederick the Great of Prussia, inspired and provided the theme for one of Bach's most famous compositions, the Ricercar from the Musical Offering, BWV 1079. That work opens this double album, which also includes chamber works from other composers associated with Frederick. ...
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Historical performance recordings and programs established in a specific time and place, or among specific musicians, have become commonplace. Yet those exploring the musical circle of a monarch are not so common, even though the king in question here, Frederick the Great of Prussia, inspired and provided the theme for one of Bach's most famous compositions, the Ricercar from the Musical Offering, BWV 1079. That work opens this double album, which also includes chamber works from other composers associated with Frederick. It may seem to be the kind of release that appeals most to listeners whose pulse quickens when they hear the words historical performance, but the album has enjoyed commercial success for several reasons. There is the presence of several unfamiliar composers, all landing near the increasingly attractive dividing line between Baroque and Classical. Johann Joachim Quantz and the Graun brothers, Carl and Johann, show up mostly on albums devoted to Bach, while Johann Gottfried Müthel and...
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