J.S. Bach, early masterpieces for organ and harpsichord

J.S. Bach, early masterpieces

Hadrien Jourdan, organ & harpsichord

My initial idea was to propose a program featuring the music of Johann Kuhnau, the great composer and scholar who was Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas, to show the important influence he had on the young Bach by juxtaposing their works... Unfortunately, when it comes to Bach, everything goes off the rails! Johann Sebastian's compositions are so sublimely creative that they would have overshadowed Kuhnau's otherwise excellent pieces!
So I've happily chosen to concentrate on the finest pieces for organ and harpsichord that Bach composed before 1710.
At the age of 25, his catalog is packed with masterpieces, testifying not only to his precocious genius, but also to his mastery of French and Italian styles, as well as the language of northern Germany. The variety of forms is equally impressive: toccatas of Italian or German inspiration, French suites, preludes and fugues, keyboard concerti, partite (variations) on a chorale, sonatas...
I'll be presenting the fantastic Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 894, later used by Bach to build his “triple” concerto BWV 1044 for flute, violin and harpsichord. Stunning in its creativity and virtuosity, it already reveals the potential of full maturity. Other works include the splendid Toccata in D minor BWV 913, a suite in F minor, a prelude and fugue in E minor...
The organ will not be outdone. The famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor will be revisited from a more “informed” and philological angle. The brilliant Partita sopra Sei gegrüsset will be in the company of the Toccata, adagio and fugue and two other pieces to be discovered...
This is a rare opportunity to marvel at, and be filled with gratitude for, the wonders given to the world by a young man who was to become the greatest composer of all time...