JS Bach, Keyboard Concerto in F minor

When Johann Sebastian Bach left his position as Kapellmeister at the court of Köthen to assume the position of Kantor at the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig in May 1723, he clearly descended in rank. We say this in a figurative sense, of course, but the fact is that he went from holding the highest rank in the musical organization of the Germany of his time – in a minor court – to that of church Kantor but in a large city. In this last position, apart from composing music and leading performances in the two most important churches of the city, the maestro had to teach Latin, catechism – that of Luther –, and music, to the pupils of the Thomasschule, the public school that depended on the St. Thomas Church.

The Collegium Musicum

Four years later, the situation had become more difficult due, on the one hand, to the bureaucracy of the authorities of the Leipzig City Council and, on the other, to Bach's impetuous and somewhat stubborn character. And the disagreements increased.

Fortunately, in April 1729, he was entrusted with the leadership of one of the many secular musical societies that flourished in Germany during the first half of the 18th century, the Collegium Musicum of Leipzig.

There he had at his disposal a remarkable instrumental ensemble, which was capable of giving one or two concerts every week. For that ensemble, Bach revised and adapted the instrumental music he had composed while in Köthen.

Arrangements for keyboard

With the sole exception of the Flute Concerto in A minor, all the "arrangements" were made for harpsichord and orchestra. They exist for one, two, three, and even four harpsichords, as they were also intended to be performed at home, in the company of his sons Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl Philipp Emanuel, both of whom had become skilled "keyboard players", by the time the arrangements are dated, 1730.

Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056

Seven are the adaptations for solo harpsichord. Presented here is the Concerto No. 5 in F minor, structured in the usual three movements: fast - slow - fast. Originally for harpsichord, violins I and II, viola, and continuo, it is offered here in a version for piano and string orchestra by Sven Brajkovic accompanied by the Samobor Strings chamber ensemble.

Movements

00       Allegro moderato    Like the third movement, it probably comes from a piece for violin, in G minor.

3:39   Largo (Arioso)    The more popular of the movements. From an oboe concerto. It was also used by Bach in a cantata. Its first measures are quite similar to the Andante from Telemann's G major flute concerto, with some certainty earlier. As was the custom, perhaps Bach wanted to pay homage to his friend Telemann in this way.

6:25   Presto    Taken from a violin work, as noted above.

The video includes (10:43) the Sarabande from Bach's French suite no. 6 in E- major.