The most successful of Baroque composerswere highly sensitive to the prevailingmusical fashions of their day, effortlesslymoving from style to style to satisfylisteners, performers and patrons. In hisfour orchestral suites, Bach turned his handto one of the two main musical genres in18th-century Europe – the suite, theFrench counterpart to the ItalianConcerto.Beyond mere commercial awareness,however, Bach’s suites convey a deepunderstanding of musical character andinstrumental colour. An abundance ofdifferent moods and forms are explored:in addition to the grand French overturesthat open each suite, the traditionaldance movements that follow display greatvariety, with the Gavotte, Bourrée,Sarabande, Menuet and the more unusualPolonaise and Forlane all making anappearance. Bach’s rich and variedapproach to orchestration also comes tothe fore, contributing to each work’sindividual charm: Suite No.2, for instance,is characterised by its prominent andoften virtuosic solo flute part, while Nos. 3and 4 owe their festive mood to the threetrumpets and timpani.Although Bach wrote just four works inthis genre, his contributions reveal thefull extent of his compositional skill, andare an essential part of his oeuvre. Here,they are performed by the Consort ofLondon, an ensemble who have receivedmuch critical praise for their interpretationsof Bach’s music.

OTHER INFORMATION:

• Recorded in 1990 in Henry Wood Hall,London.• Includes comprehensive booklet notes byClemens Romijn.

TRACK LIST

• Ouverture (Orchestral Suite) NO.1 IN C BWV1066• Ouverture (Orchestral Suite) NO.2 IN B MINORBWV 1067• Ouverture (Orchestral Suite) NO.3 IN D BWV1068• Ouverture (Orchestral Suite) NO.4 IN D BWV1069