Johann Sebastian Bach's organ artistry made a powerful impression in St. Catherine's Church when he applied for the coveted organist's post at the Principal Church of St. James in Hamburg in 1720. Since Bach, unlike his rival, was unwilling to contribute the immense sum of four thousand marks as his "dowry," he did not prevail but instead found a new job in Leipzig a few years later. In Leipzig he initially discharged other duties before he again came forward as an instrumental composer with a dazzling cycle of organ chorales in 1739. Andreas Fischer has freshly recorded this "Third Part of the Clavier�bung" on his very own St. Catherine's organ - certainly in a rendering that would have brought joy to Bach, who could "not praise enough" this instrument "outstanding in every respect."

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Antonio Scarlatti was hired as the Spanish Queen Maria Barbara's personal fitness coach. In order to perfect her keyboard artistry, the monarch had the talented Neapolitan composer write countless exercises for her. The Japanese pianist Eri Mantani has assembled a fascinating personal selection from the 555 extant "Sonatas" that really have nothing in common with dull etudes - a debut album bursting with energy that could not be more entertaining. The queen must have had considerable capabilities as a keyboard artist: gigantic leaps, highly virtuosic runs, and crossing of the hands that even today challenge every keyboard performer's technique - and during Scarlatti's times such refinements were absolutely revolutionary! And as if this were not enough, these sonatas, seemingly so very simple in form, constantly surprise us with their completely unconventional harmonic twists and turns. There is also the Spanish color that makes Scarlatti's sonatas so unique. Again and again we encounter reminiscences of traditional Andalusian dances - and above all of the flamenco. And how Scarlatti magically transfers guitar sounds to the keyboard is absolutely enthralling.

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Music too has thriller potential. It is with a master sleuth’s methods that Gertrud Schilde has probed the enigmatic and monumental Ciaccona from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita in D minor and uncovered spectacular evidence in the form of a whole series of traditional chorale melodies hidden away in its intricate compositional design. On this eye-opener of an album the enterprising violinist teams up with the Northern German Chamber Choir to present her revealing discoveries. Martin Luther’s consoling Easter hymn “Christ lag in Todesbanden” runs like a red thread through the work. The chorales, from “Jesu, deine Passion” through “Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt” to “Jesu, meine Freude,” deal with the double theme of death and resurrection. This is surely no coincidence. Bach penned this work not too long after the death of his first wife. It was not until he returned from an official trip to Karlsbad that he learned of this tragic event- when his beloved wife already lay in her grave. It is not thus surprising that traces of Maria Barbara are encountered in the Ciaccona. However, Bach would not have been Bach if he had not avoided obvious allusions, preferring instead to use a subtly encoded numerical mysticism. Again and again his wife’s name can be deciphered; the year of her death can be found as well as the names of their children. In this way the Ciaccona occupying a central and special place in the cycle of three sonatas and three partitas for violin solo becomes a magnificent memorial tribute to his late wife.

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