C. P. E. Bach: The Keyboard Concertos, Wq 43 Andreas Staier, Petra Müllejans, Freiburger Barockorchester

• Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 - 1788): Concerto No. 1 in F Major, H. 471:
• 1Bach: Concerto No. 1 in F Major, H. 471: I. Allegro di molto05:48
• 2Bach: Concerto No. 1 in F Major, H. 471: II. Andante03:43
• 3Bach: Concerto No. 1 in F Major, H. 471: III. Prestissimo04:10
• Concerto No. 2 in D Major, H. 472:
• 4Bach: Concerto No. 2 in D Major, H. 472: I. Allegro di molto07:50
• 5Bach: Concerto No. 2 in D Major, H. 472: II. Andante06:11
• 6Bach: Concerto No. 2 in D Major, H. 472: III. Allegretto08:24
• Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, H. 473:
• 7Bach: Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, H. 473: I. Allegro07:05
• 8Bach: Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, H. 473: II. Larghetto03:35
• 9Bach: Concerto No. 3 in E-Flat Major, H. 473: III. Presto04:03
• Concerto No. 4 in C Minor, H. 474:
• 10Bach: Concerto No. 4 in C Minor, H. 474: I. Allegro assai03:23
• 11Bach: Concerto No. 4 in C Minor, H. 474: II. Poco adagio02:15
• 12Bach: Concerto No. 4 in C Minor, H. 474: III. Tempo di minuetto02:51
• 13Bach: Concerto No. 4 in C Minor, H. 474: IV. Allegro assai04:27
• Concerto No. 5 in G major, H. 475:
• 14Bach: Concerto No. 5 in G major, H. 475: I. Adagio – Presto04:58
• 15Bach: Concerto No. 5 in G major, H. 475: II. Adagio02:34
• 16Bach: Concerto No. 5 in G major, H. 475: III. Allegro05:04
• Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 476:
• 17Bach: Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 476: I. Allegro di molto07:27
• 18Bach: Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 476: II. Larghetto03:55
• 19Bach: Concerto No. 6 in C Major, H. 476: III. Allegro06:43
• Total Runtime01:34:26

Info for C. P. E. Bach: The Keyboard Concertos, Wq 43

The Sei concerti per il cembalo concertato were the outcome of a period of intensive work between 1770 and 1772, shortly after Carl Philipp Emanuel arrived in Hamburg. Introducing one of his most exciting recording ventures, Andreas Staier talks about the incredible diversity of these works, their unusual publication history and construction in a lucid and entertaining essay in the booklet.

"I am touched and delighted that Petra Müllejans and the Freiburger Barockorchester not only declared their willingness to go along with this extraordinary project, but also let my enthusiasm rub off on them. My hearty thanks to all involved!" (Andreas Staier)

"This is a hot album, one of those releases where everything seems to have arrived together at the right time. Here is the world’s finest Baroque orchestra eagerly joining with one of the world’s best harpsichordists in concertos by a composer who right now seems to be winning new recognition as the giant musical personality he was...Staier's copy of a big Hass harpsichord...stands up to the superbly boisterous orchestra with ease. Marvellous stuff." (Gramophone Magazine)

"[Staier's] playing is, as ever, unimpeachable and he seems to use the resources of his astonishing harpsichord to the full, with some quite extraordinary timbres as well as stark contrasts between the manuals...The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra is very warm of tone here, with plenty of body to the string sound...an important and compelling release." (International Record Review)

"Dissonances crunch, melodies play for pathos: emotions are always volatile. It’s all on display in these six exuberant concertos, dispatched with mischief and decorative flair by Andreas Staier, the period keyboard specialist. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra supply full, even beefy, accompaniments." (The Times)

"The mood is one of brisk bonhomie, with fast movements that motor merrily, and the merest dash of citrus in the elegant attitudes of the slow movements. Andreas Staier's performance is impeccably articulated, most particularly in the grand cadenza of the C minor Concerto, while the orchestral sound is bright and clean." (The Independent)

"Andreas Staier is not only an excellent keyboard player, he also eloquently explains what is so special about this music, and which decisions he has taken in regard to performance practice. That is all very helpful in understanding and appreciating the brilliance of Carl Philipp Emanuel's keyboard music. This production goes straight to my list of recordings of the year." (Johan van Veen)

Andreas Staier, harpsichord
Freiburger Barockorchester
Petra Müllejans, director

Andreas Staier
One of the world’s most prominent harpsichord and fortepiano performers, Andreas Staier embarked on a solo career in 1986 and, since then, his indisputable musical mastery has made its mark on the interpretation of baroque, classical and romantic repertoire. Born in Göttingen in 1955, Andreas studied modern piano and harpsichord in Hannover and Amsterdam. For three years, he was the harpsichordist of Musica Antiqua Köln with whom he toured and Asia with orchestras such as Concerto Köln, Freiburger Barockorchester, the Akademie für alte and recorded extensively. As a soloist, Andreas Staier performs throughout Europe, the United States Musik Berlin and the Orchestre des Champs - Elysées Paris. Andreas has been invited to leading international festivals and major venues across Europe, America and Japan, including Konzerthaus Wien, Philharmonie Berlin, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Wigmore Hall London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées Paris, Sala Filarmonica Rome, untory Hall Tokyo, and Carnegie Hall New York. He and is regularly invited as a guest soloist by the BBC. Other projects include performances in South Korea, a tour of South Asia (Taiwan, China) and his debut in South America, with a major invitation to perform with the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo in April 2017. Andreas has recorded extensively for BMG, Teldec Classics and harmonia mundi France, the latter since 2003. His catalogue boasts numerous awards including a Diapason d’or for his ‘Am Stein vis-à-vis’ with Christine Schornsheim (Mozart), the 2002 Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik and, in 2011, the Baroque Instrumental Gramophone Award for his CPE Bach concerti recording with the Freiburger Barockorchester. ‘Variations Diabelli’, was met with great critical acclaim: Diapason d’Or, E/Scherzo, G/Gramophone, 10/10 Classica and Disc of the Month of the BBC Music Magazin. Since, he has recorded a harpsichord recital, ‘Pour Passer la Mélancolie…’, Brahms’ latest works (clarinet sonatas with Lorenzo Coppola and op118 for solo piano) and has also released the highly acclaimed recording of Bach’s harpsichord concertos together with the Freiburger Barockorchester, all for harmonia mundi.

Booklet for C. P. E. Bach: The Keyboard Concertos, Wq 43