12 tracks - MP3 192 Kbps - RAR 120 Mb
This programme presents a portrait, on the tercentenary of the composer’s birth, of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788), who was probably the most gifted of the sons of the famous Johann Sebastian Bach. Highly admired in his own century by Haydn, Gluck and Mozart, he stands out today as a brilliant and highly original composer.
‘A musician cannot move others unless he is himself moved: it is essential for him to experience all the moods he wishes to arouse in his listeners. […] In languid, sad places, he will become languid and sad; this must be both audible and visible.’
For Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, music had to be an expression of personal feelings. To achieve his aim, he did not hesitate to revolutionise the established principles of form, harmony and rhythm. His compositions are very personal and very free, with sudden changes of key, uneven phrase lengths and strong and unexpected contrasts, so that his music constantly holds the listener’s attention.
The Trio Sonata ‘Sanguineus und Melancholicus’ is a rarity in the composer’s output in that it is a quasi-programmatic work. It presents a conversation between two persons, the one sanguine (first violin) and the other melancholic (second violin). The same duality is found throughout the recordings presented here, from the well-known Sinfonia no. 5 to the two brilliant cello concertos.
With this revolutionary music, we find ourselves a whirl of emotions! Under the bow of cellist Ophélie Gaillard, at the head of the virtuosic Pulcinella Orchestra, these pieces come as a revelation!
'[The Pulcinella Orchestra] are a force to be reckoned with. Led by cellist Ophelie Gaillard, the group s well-nigh impeccable ensemble and palpable enthusiasm make it an ideal vehicle for CPE Bach at his most stormy and passionate. In the concertos, the energy is lightly handled, Gaillard dancing off-the-string with impressive bow-control ... I look forward to more from this excellent ensemble.' --George Pratt, BBC Music Magazine June 2014
Of the various CPE Bach recordings to have been released in his 300th anniversary year, that by cellist Ophelie Gaillard and the Pulcinella Orchestra stands out. The Cello Concertos Nos 1 and 3 are a particular treat. --BBC Music Magazine, December 2014
contents:
Concerto pour violoncelle en La Mineur, Wq 170
Sinfonia No. 5 en Si Mineur, Wq 182
Concerto pour violoncelle en La Majeur, Wq 172
Sonate en Ut Mineur pour deux violons et basse
"Sanguineus & Melancholicus", Wq 161
Ophélie Gaillard, cello
Pulcinella Orchestra
