Sinfonias

The eldest of Johann Sebastian Bach's many sons, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach was very possibly the most gifted of them all. Trained by his father, he cultivated a highly sensitive and refined musical language, as well as a bold and inventive style that was far ahead of his time. Yet his music is often misunderstood and underappreciated. As conductor Hartmut Haenchen explains in his liner notes, one of the reasons for this is that much of W.F. Bach's output has been destroyed or lost. This disc includes three world premiere recordings of sinfonias from Wilhelm Friedemann's cantatas, reconstructed and arranged by Haenchen after meticulous research into the whereabouts and condition of the original manuscripts. The works recorded here are a showcase for W.F. Bach's astonishing versatility and the variety of musical idioms that he employs. The Dissonant Sinfonia and the sinfonia from the cantata Fk88, for example, demonstrate a daring and unprecedented approach to harmony and counterpoint, while the sinfonia from Fk92 is more subtle and restrained, reminiscent of C.P.E. Bach's early Berlin Symphonies, but with a far more sophisticated harmonic structure. Also featured is the Suite in G minor, originally attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach. Other information: This collection is a stunning testimony to Wilhelm Friedemann's talents, and the performances are marked by vitality and intensity (American Record Guide).