Chapter 1: Enter the Players

Individuality

Italy: The Cradle of the Baroque

Concerto Grosso in B Minor, Op. 6, No. 12, HWV 330: III. Larghetto, e piano - Variatio

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Ensemble: Capella Istropolitana

Conductor: Jozef Kopelman

Instrumental Development and Choral Virtuosity

Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: I. Adagio

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Performer: Lucy van Dael

This change is especially dramatic…

Keyboard Sonata in D Minor, K. 120/L.215/P.146: Allegrissimo

Composer: Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Laurence Cummings

Many regard the choral music of J.S. Bach…

Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, BWV 51: Aria: Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen!

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Ensemble: Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra

Performer: Ingrid Kertesi

Conductor: Mátyás Antál

It's time now to go back to the early seventeenth century…

Il salmo Miserere mei Deus

Composer: Gregorio Allegri

Ensemble: Oxford Camerata

Conductor: Jeremy Summerly

Chapter 2: The Beginnings – Italy

Sacrae symphoniae: Sonata pian e forte a 8 (arr. E. Crees for brass)

Composer: Giovanni Gabrieli

Ensemble: London Symphony Brass

Conductor: Eric Crees

The contribution to music of the next great Italian composer…

Vespers of the Blessed Virgin: Domine ad adiuvandum

Composer: Claudio Monteverdi

When Monteverdi's patron died in 1612…

Mein junges Leben hat ein End, SwWV 324

Composer: Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck

Performer: James David Christie

As well as being an outstanding composer…

La, la, la, je ne l'ose dire

Composer: Pierre Certon

Ensemble: Westra Aros Pipers, Bourrasque Ensemble

Performer: Lena Hellstrom-Farnlof

Conductor: Bertil Färnlöf

Well now, from the engaging work of A Minor composer…

Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, Op. 2: Jauchzet dem Herren, alle Welt, SWV 36, "Psalm 100"

Composer: Heinrich Schütz

Ensemble: Oxford Camerata

Conductor: Jeremy Summerly

In 1625 Schutz was stricken by the death of his wife…

England

Royal Consort in D Major for 2 theorbos: V. Ecco

Composer: William Lawes

Ensemble: Rose Consort of Viols

Performer: Jacob Heringman, David Miller

When civil war broke out in England…

Chapter 3: The Fashion Spreads – Different Styles for Different Lands

Development of Dance Suites

Major, Minor and Modulation

Italy: The Land of Song

O di Betlemme, altera poverta: Aria: L'Autor d'ogni mio bene

Composer: Alessandro Scarlatti

Ensemble: Kölner Kammerorchester

Performer: Maya Boog

Conductor: Helmut Müller-Brühl

The Violin

Sonata in D Major a 8 viole con una tromba: I. Allegro

Composer: Alessandro Stradella

Ensemble: Kölner Kammerorchester

Performer: Jürgen Schuster

Conductor: Helmut Müller-Brühl

Stradella, incidentally, while not in the first division…

Germany

Membra Jesu nostri, BuxWV 75: III. Ad manus: Quid sunt plagae istae

Composer: Dieterich Buxtehude

Ensemble: Lugano Radio Svizzera Choir, Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca, Accademia Instrumentale Italiana

Conductor: Diego Fasolis

Some years younger than Buxtehude was Johann Pachelbel…

Toccata in C Major

Composer: Johann Pachelbel

Performer: Wolfgang Rübsam

France

Benedictus: Benedictus

Composer: Jean-Baptiste Lully

Ensemble: Concert Spirituel Chorus

Conductor: Hervé Niquet

Less formal in his approach to composition…

Un flambeau, Janette, Isabelle!, H. 460c

Composer: Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Ensemble: Aradia Ensemble

Performer: Tracy Smith Bessette, Christine Stelmacovich

Conductor: Kevin Mallon

French Keyboard Music

England

Hear my prayer, O Lord, Z. 15

Composer: Henry Purcell

Ensemble: Oxford Camerata

Conductor: Jeremy Summerly

In 1683 came the first of Purcell's Odes for St Cecilia's Day…

Dido and Aeneas, Z. 626, Act III: When I am laid in earth

Composer: Henry Purcell

Ensemble: Scholars Baroque Ensemble

Performer: Kym Amps

A few years later, at the end of the freezing winter of 1695…

Chapter 4: Full Flower – High Baroque

Italy

Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6, No. 8, "Christmas Concerto": VI. Pastorale

Composer: Arcangelo Corelli

Ensemble: Kölner Kammerorchester

Conductor: Helmut Müller-Brühl

Born near Bologna, Corelli began to learn the violin…

Flute Concerto in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3, RV 428, "Il gardellino": I. Allegro

Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

Ensemble: Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia

Performer: Béla Drahos

It must have been the public thirst for novelty…

Beatus vir in C Major, RV 597: Beatus vir qui timet Dominum

Composer: Antonio Vivaldi

Ensemble: Oxford Schola Cantorum, Northern Chamber Orchestra

Conductor: Nicholas Ward

It seems as if Vivaldi became restless…

Baroque Concertos Beyond Vivaldi

Keyboard Sonata in E Major, K.380/L.23/P.483: Andante comodo

Composer: Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Balázs Szokolay

By contrast, the Sonata in D Major, K. 96 is much more rapid…

Keyboard Sonata in D Major, K. 96/L.465/P.210: Allegrissimo

Composer: Domenico Scarlatti

Performer: Balázs Szokolay

Germany

Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 550

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Performer: Wolfgang Rübsam

Although he appeared to have been comfortable enough…

Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major, BWV 1047: III. Allegro assai

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Ensemble: Kölner Kammerorchester

Conductor: Helmut Müller-Brühl

At least two of Bach's four Orchestral Suites…

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Prelude and Fugue No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 861

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Performer: Jenő Jandó

One vocal work to emerge from Bach's secular years…

Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, BWV 202, "Wedding Cantata": Aria: Sich üben im Lieben

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Ensemble: Capella Istropolitana

Performer: Friederike Wagner

Conductor: Christian Brembeck

It was on his return from a visit to Karlsbad…

St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244, Part III: Chorus: Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Ensemble: Hungarian Festival Choir, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: Géza Oberfrank

There were consolations in Bach's difficult time in Leipzig…

Keyboard Concerto in F Minor, BWV 1056: II. Largo

Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

Ensemble: Kölner Kammerorchester

Performer: Harald Hoeren

Conductor: Helmut Müller-Brühl

Towards the end of the seventeenth century…

German Opera

Overture (Suite) in D Major, TWV 55:D15: VIII. Rejouissance

Composer: Georg Philipp Telemann

Ensemble: Kölner Kammerorchester

Conductor: Helmut Müller-Brühl

Telemann has sometimes been accused of superficiality…

France

Pieces de clavecin, Book 1: 1st Ordre in G Minor-Major: Les Sentiments

Composer: François Couperin

Performer: Laurence Cummings

Further on in the same suite…

Pieces de clavecin, Book 1: 1st Ordre in G Minor-Major: La Manon

Composer: François Couperin

Performer: Laurence Cummings

In 1716, at the height of his fame and success…

Abaris ou les Boréades: Gavotte pour les Fleures et les Zephirs

Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau

Ensemble: Capella Savaria

Conductor: Mary Terey-Smith

Unfortunately, the opera was never produced…

VII. Musette en rondeau

Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau

Performer: Gilbert Rowland

VIII. Tambourin

Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau

Performer: Gilbert Rowland

England

Rinaldo, HWV 7, Act II: Aria: Lascia ch'io pianga

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Ensemble: Camerata Budapest

Performer: Ingrid Kertesi

Conductor: László Kovács

Back in Hanover the following summer…

Acis and Galatea, HWV 49, Act II: Aria: O ruddier than the cherry

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Ensemble: Scholars Baroque Ensemble

Performer: David van Asch

Italian opera at this time was all the rage in London…

Keyboard Suite No. 7 in G Minor, HWV 432: VI. Passacaille

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Performer: Laurence Cummings

As the public wearied of temperamental divas and castrati…

Messiah, HWV 56, Part I: For unto a child is born

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Ensemble: Scholars Baroque Ensemble

Strange to say, Messiah was not so well received…

Concerto Grosso in D Minor, Op. 6, No. 10, HWV 328: VI. Allegro moderato

Composer: George Frideric Handel

Ensemble: Capella Istropolitana

Conductor: Jozef Kopelman

Handel surely sensed that the musical world…

Coda