Alex Potter and Il Gardellino perform two Bach cantatas from 1726: Geist und Seele wird verwirret BWV 35 and Gott soll allein mein Herze haben BWV 169. The secular origins of the genre can be clearly perceived in these cantatas. The expressive recitatives and virtuoso arias testify more to the influence of opera than to Bach’s Lutheran roots. Moreover, instrumental music plays a prominent role in these cantatas, which are preceded by independent sinfonias.

To round off the programme, Leo van Doeselaar plays Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major BWV 564, which illustrates the growing influence of the concerto form on Bach’s way of thinking. Like the rest of the programme, this work is played on the Treutmann organ of the Stiftskirche St. Georg in Grauhof.

The listener is offered the opportunity to hear precisely those colours that Bach expected from an organ, for while it is standard today to perform the Baroque repertoire on a positive organ, Bach made full use of the grand organs of the churches in which he was employed.

Booklet: EN, DE, FR

Lyrics: DE, EN