Johann Sebastian Bach’s four Overtures (or Orchestral Suites) remain somewhat of a mystery as the exact date and circumstances of their composition is still unknown. Just like his Brandenburg Concertos, they are intended for a variable number of musicians and all four of them consist of a dance suite preceded by a three-part opening movement, in the middle of which is a brilliantly fast and skilful fugal section.
The music in this double-disc album by Rinaldo Alessandrini is twice as exciting as it also explores the Overtures composed by two cousins of Johann Sebastian, namely Johann Bernhard (1676-1749) and Johann Ludwig (1677-1731). He held their music in such high esteem that he even played it during the Leipzig Collegia Musica’s concert in Gottfried Zimmermann’s café, where a weekly concert took place with either himself or Telemann conducting, although it was later destroyed during air-raids. Indeed, their music was remarkable and it certainly shouldn’t be overshadowed in light of the success of their younger cousin.
When JS Bach composed these Overtures, it would seem that he was influenced by French music given that a didactic work entitled Musical Composition according to the French method was published in Germany in 1682 outlining an overture that precedes a series of dance suites. This particular style of composition would later become symbolic of the “alla francese” style that was soon adopted by musicians all across Europe. A most welcome album where music and didactics go hand-in-hand. © François Hudry/Qobuz