J.S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos Francesco Corti & Il Pomo d'Oro

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052:
• 1 Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052: I. Allegro 07:12
• 2 Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052: II. Adagio 06:38
• 3 Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052: III. Allegro 07:22
• Harpsichord Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1053:
• 4 Harpsichord Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1053: I. Allegro 07:54
• 5 Harpsichord Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1053: II. Siciliano 03:53
• 6 Harpsichord Concerto No. 2 in E Major, BWV 1053: III. Allegro 06:10
• Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 in G Minor, BWV 1058:
• 7 Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 in G Minor, BWV 1058: I. Allegro 03:24
• 8 Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 in G Minor, BWV 1058: II. Andante 04:50
• 9 Harpsichord Concerto No. 7 in G Minor, BWV 1058: III. Allegro assai 03:48
• Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A Major, BWV 1055:
• 10 Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A Major, BWV 1055: I. Allegro 04:04
• 11 Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A Major, BWV 1055: II. Larghetto 04:42
• 12 Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A Major, BWV 1055: III. Allegro ma non tanto 04:04
• Total Runtime 01:04:01

Info for J.S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos

Bach’s harpsichord concertos are arguably the first in the history of music designed specifically for this instrument. Composing them, Bach aimed to adapt the string writing of Italian instrumental concertos to a keyboard instrument, while simultaneously enriching this style with typically-German traits such as counterpoint and motivic development. Francesco Corti and il pomo d’oro present concertos BWV 1052, 1053, 1055 and 1058 as the first volume of what should become a cycle spanning four albums. Corti has chosen to combine these four concertos for the full orchestral sound they call for, while later recordings in this series will have a chamber setting in comparison. For tempo choices and melodic variations, Corti has been inspired by treatises from Bach’s time, as well as the composer’s own written-out ornamentations.

Francesco Corti belongs to the most established harpsichordists of his generation. He makes his PENTATONE debut together with the multi-award-winning ensemble il pomo d’oro, who recorded two vocal recital albums with the label: Carnevale 1729 with Ann Hallenberg (2017), as well as Prologue with Francesca Aspromonte (2018).

Il Pomo d'Oro
Francesco Corti, direction

Francesco Corti
w­­as born in Arezzo, Italy, in a musical family in 1984. He studied organ in Perugia, then harpsichord in Geneva and in Amsterdam.

He was awarded at the International "Johann Sebastian Bach" Competition in Leipzig (2006) and at the Bruges Harpsichord Competition (2007).

As a soloist, he has appeared in recitals and concerts all over Europe, in the USA, in Latin America and in New Zealand. He has been invited by festivals such as Mozart Woche and the Salzburger Festpiele, BachFest Leipzig, MusikFest Bremen, Utrecht Early Music Festival, Festival Radio France Montpellier, Milanesiana. He has performed in halls such as Salle Pleyel (Paris), Bozar (Bruxelles), Konzerthaus (Vienna), Tonhalle (Zürich), Mozarteum and Haus für Mozart (Salzburg) and Concertgebouw (Amsterdam).

Since 2007 he is a member of Les Musiciens du Louvre (M. Minkowski). With this Ensemble he has taken part to countless tours and played solo concertos by Bach, Händel, Haydn and Mozart.
He also performs with other famous early music groups such as que Zefiro (A. Bernardini), the Bach Collegium Japan (M. Suzuki), Les Talens Lyriques (C. Rousset), Harmonie Universelle (F. Deuter), Pulcinella (O. Gaillard), Música Temprana (A. van der Spoel) and Le Concert des Nations (J. Savall).

As a soloist, he has been accompanied in concertos by the Mozarteum Orchestra, the Combattimento Consort, the Leipzig Baroque Orchestra and the Orchestra da Camera di Mantova.

Since 2015 he conducts regularly Les Musiciens du Louvre in a repertoire that spans from A. Scarlatti and Händel to Galuppi and Mozart. He was invited as soloist and conductor by the Holland Baroque Society for two European tours of concerts (Brandenburg concertos), and by the Nederlandse Bachvereniging.

His solo recordings include a CD of Louis Couperin Suites, the Partitas by J. S. Bach and the two piano quartets by Mozart recorded on the original instrument owned by the composer, now in Salzburg.

In 2017 the French label Evidence will publish his new recording of Haydn sonatas.

He has taught in masterclasses all over Europe, in Latin America and in Asia.

Since September 2016, he is professor of harpsichord and thorough bass at the Schola Cantorum Basilensis.

Il pomo d’Oro
is an orchestra founded in the year 2012 with a special focus on opera, but equally committed to instrumental performance in various formations. The musicians united in this group are among the best to be found worldwide for authentic interpretation on period instruments. They form an ensemble of outstanding quality, combining stylistic knowledge, highest technical skills, and artistic enthusiasm. The collaboration with violinist and conductor Riccardo Minasi has already led to an award winning first recording (Vivaldi, 'Per l'Imperatore'). Recently, il pomo d'oro recorded 3 solo CDs with three countertenors - Max Emanuel Cencic, Franco Fagioli and Xavier Sabata under Riccardo Minasi's direction, as well as a recording of Venetian Barcarole, sung by Vincenzo Capezzuto. Numerous concerts (Paris, Munich, London, Lyon, Barcelona, Geneva among others) and further recordings are scheduled for the year 2013.

The name of the orchestra refers to the title of an opera by Antonio Cesti, composed for the wedding of Emperor Leopold I of Austria with Margarita Teresa of Spain in Vienna in 1666. The opera was the final part of an imperial celebration of incredible multimedial splendour, starting with fireworks of 73.000 rockets and a horse-ballet of 300 horses. With its twenty-four different stage sets and stunning special effects like collapsing towers, flying gods and sinking ships, „Il Pomo d’Oro“ was probably the most excessive and expensive operatic production in the then young history of the genre. It provided roles for fifty singers, and it lasted ten hours –ten hours of magnificent spectacle and beautiful music.

Booklet for J.S. Bach: Harpsichord Concertos