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Donald Macleod surveys Johann Sebastian Bach’s development as a composer whilst in Weimar.

Johann Sebastian Bach is often acknowledged as one of the greatest composers of all time and yet, during his lifetime, he was often more famous as an organist. Bach became very much in demand as a performer and a teacher. He was often asked to advise on the design and renovation of expensive church instruments. He composed a great deal of music for organ and was particularly productive during his twenties and early thirties when working at the court in Weimar. All this week Donald Macleod examines Bach’s life and music through the lens of his life-long fascination with the organ, focusing particularly on his time in Weimar and exploring his role as performer organist, teacher, servant, entrepreneur and composer

In this programme Donald Macleod looks at how Bach evolved as a composer during his years at the Weimar court where he had a rich array of instrumental forces at his disposal. As well as writing for his employer, Bach also composed a great deal of music for his family to perform at home. He also often turned to instruments that were archaic even at the time, like the viola da gamba, recorder and lute. One of his primary friendships during this period was with his cousin Walther, who was an organist at the town Church. Walther and Bach enjoyed exploring together the music that Prince Johann Ernst had brought back to Weimar from his Grand Tour in Italy. Bach and Walther drank in works by Albinoni, Corelli, Frescobaldi and, especially, Vivaldi. These Italian influences started to creep into Bach’s own music.

Lute Suite in E minor, BWV 996
Sean Shibe, guitar

Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (Vivaldi Violin Concerto Op 3 No 11)
Christopher Herrick, organ

Mass in B minor, BWV 232 (Osanna in excelsis, Agnus Dei, Dona Nobis Pacem)
Robin Blaze, alto
Bach Collegium Japan Chorus and Orchestra
Masaaki Suzuki, director

Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532
Wolfgang Ruebsam, organ

Produced by Luke Whitlock, for Â鶹ԼÅÄ Wales