Symphony D-Dur
1.Allegro e maestoso 3:10
2.Andante 2:39
3.Vivace 3:01

Adagio & Fugue d-moll
4.Adagio 4:34
5.Fugue 4:52

Concerto for harpsichord,strings and basso continuo e-moll
6.Allegretto 9:15
7.Adagio 10:01
8.Allegro assai 5:33

Adagio & Fugue f-moll
9.Trio & Adagio 4:09
10.Fugue 3:13

Symphony F-Dur
11.Vivace 3:48
12.Andante 5:03
13.Allegro 3:39
14.Menuetto I & II 2:48

Raphael Alpermann - harpsichord
Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin
Stephan Mai – conductor

W.F. Bach, oldest son of J.S., had a long and controversial life (1710-84) marred by accusations of erratic behavior, the likely result of alcoholism. Be that as it may, his music certainly does not deserve the obscurity into which it has fallen. This splendid selection of pieces offers ample evidence of his skills, presenting music in a variety of forms from all periods of his professional career. The opening item, the Sinfonie in D Fk 64, features colorful writing for horns and oboes in its outer movements and some exquisite flute playing (remarkably rich-toned for authentic instruments) in the middle. The Adagio and Fugue in D minor, composed for church performances, opens with an exceptionally beautiful and deeply moving slow movement (given the right movie or TV commercial it easily could become a "pop" hit along the lines of Albinoni's Adagio or Bach's "Air" in G major), and the ensuing fugue offers no end of contrapuntal resource. Its attractive sister piece, the Adagio and Fugue in F minor, actually is an arrangement by Mozart, who composed its introductory slow section.

The four-movement Sinfonie in F dates from W.F.'s early, Dresden period, and in its quick movements it shows the same joy in wild contrasts of rhythm, dynamics, tempo, and dissonance that you can find in the music of Zelenka, though it ends with a charming minuet. By far the longest work on the program, the Cembalo Concerto in E minor is every bit as personal and interesting. Less focused on highlighting the keyboard soloist than are similar works by his father or more famous brother (C.P.E.), this piece shows an unusual degree of integration between strings and keyboard. Soloist Raphael Alpermann's selection of an attractively un-clangy, delicately lute-toned instrument adds to the impression of his being "primus inter pares" in a remarkably vibrant and intricate dialogue. The rhythmically lively but also warm and tangy string playing by the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin under concertmaster Stephan Mai leads the ear on from one delight to the next, and Harmonia Mundi's sonics uphold the high standards of the house. If you love Baroque music, this disc is a must.---David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

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1. Fugue in G minor
2. Chorale Preludes, Jesu, meine Freude
3. Fugue in F Major
4. Chorale Preludes, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland
5. Fugue in C Minor
6. Fugue In C Minor
7. Chorale Preludes, Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt
8. Fugue in F Major 'Tripelfuge'
9. Chorale Preludes, Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit
10. Fugue in C Minor (2)
11. Chorale Preludes, Wir Christenleut han jetzund Freud
12. Fugue in B Flat Major
13. Chorale Preludes, Wir danken dir, Herr Jesu Christ
14. Fugue in D Major
15. Chorale Preludes, Christe, der du bist Tag und Licht
16. Fugue in B Flat Major (2)
17. Fugue in A Minor

Julia Brown - organ

By all accounts Wilhelm Friedemann Bach was the greatest organist of his time in Germany. The music critic Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart stated: "Undoubtedly the greatest organist of the world! He is a son of the world-famous Sebastian Bach and has reached - if not surpassed - his father's virtuosity." He then goes on to describe his features: "a fiery genius, a creative imagination, originality and inventiveness, a stormy quickness, and the magical power to enchant every heart with his play on the organ". Bach's oeuvre for the organ bears witness to that description, and it is a great shame that so little of his art has come down to us.

The CPO disc promises us "the complete organ works" by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. This has to be taken with a grain of salt. To begin with, it is not easy to make a clear distinction between pieces for any keyboard and compositions specifically intended for the organ. Obviously pieces for two manuals and pedal can only be played at the organ. Those include the seven chorale preludes and the two Fugues in F and g minor respectively which Friedhelm Flamme included in his recording. Inexplicably he did not include the Fugue in F (F 36 / A 91) which Julia Brown has recorded. On the other hand Flamme plays several pieces which don't require a pedal; these include the Fantasias in d minor and c minor which open and respectively close, his programme. Also no pedal is required in the Eight Fugues (F 31 / A 81-88), but here Friedemann has specifically indicated that they can be played either at the "Clavier" (any keyboard without pedals) or the organ.

Although these two discs contain duplications, they also complement each other in that both offer pieces which don't appear on the other disc. The two Fantasias I have just mentioned are absent from Julia Brown's disc - she played them at the harpsichord on Naxos 8.570530 - whereas she included various fugues which are not in the two catalogues of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach's oeuvre. The reason is that they are not considered authentic. It is rather odd that this is not mentioned in the liner-notes. Authentic or not, it is nice to have them available, even though they have been recorded before - for instance by Leo van Doeselaar on Etcetera KTC 2503, 1984.

One can understand that they are considered doubtful, as some are very baroque in style and not very different from Johann Sebastian's fugues. The Fugue in B flat (track 16) is a good example. But that in itself doesn't tell against their authenticity. Listening to the chorale preludes one will notice their rooting in a past even before J.S. The cantus firmus is virtually unornamented, and Friedemann makes use of so-called Vorimitation in which the chorale melody is anticipated in the other voices. It was not only used by Sebastian but is also a feature of the chorale preludes by Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706). Other fugues begin in a rather old-fashioned manner but then turn towards the fashion of the time towards the end. This is typical of Wilhelm Friedemann who in his oeuvre moves to and fro between the various styles of his time.

The number of fugues he composed is remarkable and this is considered one of the reasons he fell from grace towards the end of his career. The form of the fugue had become largely obsolete, and when Friedemann attempted to get the Eight Fugues printed, publishers refused. These are very likely characteristic of his style of playing, and that could well have been the reason that in the last stage of his life he wasn't in much demand as an organist any more. It is assumed that he mostly improvised during his public concerts; that is probably the reason so little organ music by him has been preserved.

The duplications allow us to compare the interpretations of these two organists which are quite different. A look at the track-lists reveals that Julia Brown is consistently slower than Friedhelm Flamme. It is mostly not possible to decide which tempo is right. The Fugue in F (F 33 / A 90), for instance, works in both performances quite well. The slower reading by Julia Brown lends it a kind of gravity and seriousness which suits its character as it is reminiscent of the fugues in Sebastian's Well-tempered Clavier. Elsewhere the slow tempo works against the music, for instance in the Fugue in c minor (track 6) where the trills are unnatural. One could probably characterise Ms Brown's performances as analytical: every detail is exposed, thanks not only to the relatively slow tempi but also the registration which is mostly modest and allows for every single voice to be followed.

The differences between these two discs are also due to the organs. Julia Brown plays an instrument built by Paul Fritts and Company in 1999, which was clearly inspired by the German baroque organ. Friedhelm Flamme also plays a modern organ by Martin Hillebrand dating from 2008. Here new stops have been built in the style of the 18th century, particularly based on the disposition of the organ by Christian Vater which was built in this church in the 1730s. Some pipework from the organ Carl Giesecke had built in the same church in the 1860s has been incorporated into this organ. Because of that the sound is quite different, mellower and less penetrating than the sound of the organ Julia Brown plays. I don't want to choose between them. The Eight Fugues come off beautifully at the Hillebrand. So do the chorale preludes, but in these somewhat old-fashioned pieces the Fritts organ is probably closer to what Bach had at his disposal in his earlier years.

Both booklets leave something to be desired. I have already identified that the doubtful authenticity of several pieces in Julia Brown's recording is not mentioned. Otherwise the liner-notes are not very specific about the various pieces. The CPO booklet contains some general information about Wilhelm Friedemann as an organist, but little analysis of the music. The track-lists should have given the numbers in Peter Wollny's catalogue as well, in particular as Falck's catalogue is out of date. I have added them on the basis of the work-list in New Grove.

Both recordings have their merits and those who have an interest in Wilhelm Friedemann's music shouldn't miss either of them. --- Johan van Veen, MusicWeb International

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1. Fantasy in c minor
2. Fantasy in a minor
3. Polonaise in C Major
4. Polonaise in c minor
5. Polonaise in D Major
6. Polonaise in d minor		play
7. Polonaise in E flat Major
8. Polonaise in e flat minor
9. Polonaise in E Major
10. Polonaise in e minor
11. Polonaise in F Major		play
12. Polonaise in f minor
13. Polonaise in G Major
14. Polonaise in g minor

Harald Hoeren - piano

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, the eldest of J.S. Bach's sons, had great promise as a composer and was highly regarded as a performer in the 18th century. Yet due to his erratic temperament, he never fully realized his potential and spent the last twenty years of his life without formal employment, having abruptly walked away from his position in Halle in 1764. He also dissipated his legacy from his illustrious father, much of whose music is lost simply because Friedemann was such a poor custodian of it. Nevertheless, the music that Friedemann himself left us is of great value, both historically and due to its own merit.

Harald Hoeren gives us here two fantasies (note that the track listing is incorrect and that actually the A minor fantasy is track 1, the C minor track 2) and the 12 polonaises which were so celebrated in the 19th century. His playing is remarkable, especially given what sounds like intensely difficult music. It has often been remarked that Friedemann's music vacillates between the baroque traditions of his father's time and the newer roccoco and classical styles. One can even see this in the very form taken by the polonaise set on this recording: there are twelve keyboard pieces in the majors and minors of, respectively, C, D, Eb, E, F, and G (shades of the systematic planning of the "Well-Tempered Clavier"), but the form of the pieces is a dance form rather than preludes and fugues (shades of the lighter roccoco style).

Hoeren negotiates the sudden twists and turns of this music like the pro that he obviously is and makes an excellent case for it. Anyone interested in Friedemann at all should definitely investigate this disc. --- Molly the Cat "Meow", amazon.com

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CD1
1 Concerto for harpsichord & strings in F minor ('Berlin'), CW C73 (T. 301/4): 1. Allegro di molto	
2 Concerto for harpsichord & strings in F minor ('Berlin'), CW C73 (T. 301/4): 2. Andante	
3 Concerto for harpsichord & strings in F minor ('Berlin'), CW C73 (T. 301/4): 3. Prestissimo	
4 Harpsichord Concerto in F major, F. 44 (BR C13): 1. Allegro ma non troppo			
5 Harpsichord Concerto in F major, F. 44 (BR C13): 2. Molto adagio			
6 Harpsichord Concerto in F major, F. 44 (BR C13): 3. Presto			
7 Harpsichord Concerto in E minor, F. 43 (BR C 12): 1. Allegretto			
8 Harpsichord Concerto in E minor, F. 43 (BR C 12): 2. Adagio			
9 Harpsichord Concerto in E minor, F. 43 (BR C 12): 3. Allegro assai

CD2
1 Harpsichord Concerto in D major, F. 41 (BR C9): 1. Allegro			
2 Harpsichord Concerto in D major, F. 41 (BR C9): 2. Andante			
3 Harpsichord Concerto in D major, F. 41 (BR C9): 3. Presto			
4 Harpsichord Concerto in A minor, F. 45 (BR C14): 1. -			
5 Harpsichord Concerto in A minor, F. 45 (BR C14): 2. Larghetto			
6 Harpsichord Concerto in A minor, F. 45 (BR C14): 3. Allegro ma non molto		
7 Concerto (Sonata) for 2 harpsichords in F major, F. 10 (BR A12)
 (previously attrib. J.S. Bach, BWV Anh188): 1. Allegro moderato			
8 Concerto (Sonata) for 2 harpsichords in F major, F. 10 (BR A12)
 (previously attrib. J.S. Bach, BWV Anh188): 2. Andante			
9 Concerto (Sonata) for 2 harpsichords in F major, F. 10 (BR A12)
 (previously attrib. J.S. Bach, BWV Anh188): 3. Presto			
10 Concerto for 2 harpsichords & orchestra in E flat major ('Double Concerto'), F. 46 (BR C11):
 1. Un poco allegro			
11 Concerto for 2 harpsichords & orchestra in E flat major ('Double Concerto'), F. 46 (BR C11):
 2. Cantabile			
12 Concerto for 2 harpsichords & orchestra in E flat major ('Double Concerto'), F. 46 (BR C11):
 3. Vivace

Harmonices Mundi String Ensemble
Marco Facchin – harpsichord
Claudio Astronio – harpsichord
Claudio Astronio – conductor

In a Fanfare 33:5 review of solo keyboard works by W. F. Bach, played by Siegbert Rampe (MDG 3411592), I offered my two cents that of J. S. Bach’s male progeny, Wilhelm Friedemann (1710–84), the eldest son, may quite possibly have been the most gifted. His main teacher, of course, was his father, but he also took lessons in violin from Johann Gottlieb Graun (1703–71). Wilhelm became noted as a brilliant organist and improviser, but he ran afoul of the conservative town council and church officials in Hallé where he was employed as organist at the Liebfrauenkirche. Wilhelm was not one for religious piety, and by 1764 he’d had all he could take of Hallé’s holier-than-thou hostile environment. With no other job prospects, barely a coin of the realm in his pocket, and with not much else than the clothes on his back, he upped and left his post with his wife and surviving daughter, Friederica Sophia, in tow.

A couple of interesting tidbits I came across in my research for this review were that (1) Sophia took some of J. S.’s manuscripts with her when she emigrated to America, passing them on to her descendants who settled in Oklahoma. The manuscripts in question are believed to have been inadvertently destroyed. And (2) other of J. S.’s manuscripts were passed on by Wilhelm to his Berlin pupil, Sarah Itzig Levy, daughter of a prominent Jewish family in Berlin and great-aunt of Felix Mendelssohn. It was she who gave Mendelssohn the manuscript of the St. Matthew Passion, which she had received from Wilhelm.

Sadly, Wilhelm Friedemann did not fulfill his promise. He fell into debt, his misfortunes multiplied, and he died destitute. No one knows for sure why his life unraveled the way it did, but it’s probably a safe bet that a combination of rapidly changing musical trends and daddy issues—a first-born son trying so hard not to disappoint the expectations of a famous father—conspired to seal Wilhelm’s fate. A quote attributed to J. S.,“The son that gives me joy is the one that I love”—if indeed he said it—tells much about his parenting skills.

It’s a bit difficult to describe these harpsichord concertos by the Bach clan’s eldest son, for they are seemingly caught between the vanishing world of the father’s Baroque and the younger siblings’ emerging world of the early Classical. Take, for example, the beautifully expressive Andante movement of the F-Minor Concerto. It might almost be mistaken for a slow movement from one of J. S.’s keyboard concertos—a continuous, melismatic spinning out of a florid melody line over a mark-time chordal accompaniment in the orchestra. Yet there is something more one doesn’t normally hear in similar movements by the elder Bach, orchestral interludes that sigh in sweet sorrow as they extend and comment upon the soloist’s lament. It could almost be a far-ranging anticipation of Mozart, for it reminded me of those heartbreaking sighs offered up by the orchestra in the Adagio of Mozart’s A-Major Piano Concerto, No. 23. Listening to this movement and to the still more extended Molto Adagio in the F-Major Concerto, F 44, with its mix of Baroque and empfindsamer stil elements, persuades me even more of Wilhelm Friedemann’s unique gift.

In the fast movements, again there is a clear nod to the keyboard concertos of J. S. in particular—the concluding Presto of the same F 44 Concerto, for example, is replete with keyboard figuration and orchestral flourishes that come right out of J. S.’s D-Minor Concerto, BWV 1052—and to the Baroque style in general. Energetic rhythmic motives drive the music forward in propulsive patterns, and virtuosic solo excursions alternate with repetitive ritornellos in the orchestra. The formulas may be stock, but Wilhelm fills them with music of unflagging stamina and constantly imaginative ideas.

I’ve long been under the impression, quite mistaken it turns out, that Brilliant Classics was a budget label exclusively engaged in acquiring the rights to previously released recordings and to reissuing them under its own flag. But this two-CD set is brand new, having been recorded in November 2009, and this is its original pressing. The harpsichords employed are modern copies of German and Flemish instruments built by Manchester maker Keith Hill.

Harmonices Mundi is the nom de plume, so to speak, for the Bozen Baroque Orchestra, just as Apollo’s Fire is the handle by which the Cleveland Baroque Orchestra is known. Fanciful names aside, harpsichordist and conductor Claudio Astronio has fashioned his 2006-founded, Bolzano-based band into one of the best-sounding period-instrument ensembles I’ve heard. Articulation is crisp and alert, intonation perfect, and the playing infused with such spirited élan in fast movements and such warmth in slow ones that listening to these discs was a truly joyful experience. This, in combination with an excellent recording and Wilhelm Friedemann’s exceptional music, wins this release a “must-have” --- Jerry Dubins, Fanfare

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Trio No. 1 in D Major, Fk. 47
1.I. Allegro ma non troppo
2.II. Largo
3.III. Vivace

Duet No. 1 for 2 Flutes in E Minor, Fk. 54
4.I. Allegro
5.II. Larghetto
6.III. Vivace

Duet No. 2 for 2 Violas in G Major, Fk. 61
7.I. Allegro
8.II. Lamento
9.III. Presto

Duet No. 6 for 2 Flutes in G Major, Fk. 59
10.I. Allegro ma non troppo
11.II. Cantabile - III. Alla breve
12.IV. Gigue: Allegro

Trio in B-Flat Major, Fk. 50
13.I. Largo
14.II. Allegro ma non troppo
15.III. Vivace

Duet No. 2 for 2 Flutes in E-Flat Major, Fk. 55
16.I. Allegro
17.II. Adagio ma non molto
18.III. Presto

Concerto for 2 Harpsichords in F Major, Fk. 10
19.I. Allegro
20.II. Andante
21.III. Presto

Ricercar Consort:
Guy Penson (harpsichord), Danielle Etienne (flute), Patrick Beuckels (flute),
 Hidemi Suzuki (cello),Francois Fernandez (viola), Ryo Terakado (viola),
 Sayuri Yamagata (violin), Florian Heyerick (harpsichord).

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach’s works are still mostly unknown to the public at large, and remain in the shadow of those by his brothers. It is true that his music seems to be somewhat strange, imprisoned as it is by the composer’s profound inner drama. Born in 1710, Wilhelm Friedemann benefited more than any other of his brothers from the impact of his father’s personality; we may well remember the famous phrase attributed to Johann Sebastian: “The son that gives me joy is the one that I love.” --- arkivmusic.com

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Trio No. 3 in A Minor, Fk. 49
1. I. Allegro

Duet No. 4 for 2 Flutes in F Major, Fk. 57
2.I. Allegro e moderato
3.II. Lamentabile
4.III. Presto

Duet No. 2 for 2 Violas in G Minor, Fk. 62
5.I. Tempo giusto
6.II. Amoroso
7.III. Alla breve

Trio No. 2 in D Major, Fk. 48
8.I. Andante
9.II. Allegro
10.III. Vivace

Duet No. 3 for 2 Flutes in E-Flat Major, Fk. 56
11.I. Un poco allegro
12.II. Largo
13.III. Vivace

Duet No. 1 for 2 Violas in C Major, Fk. 60
14.I. Allegro man non tanto
15.II. Larghetto
16.III. Vivace

Duet No. 5 for 2 Flutes in F Minor, Fk. 58
17.I. Un poco allegro
18.II. Largo
19.III. Vivace

Ricercar Consort:
Guy Penson (harpsichord), Danielle Etienne (flute), Patrick Beuckels (flute),
 Hidemi Suzuki (cello),Francois Fernandez (viola), Ryo Terakado (viola),
 Sayuri Yamagata (violin), Florian Heyerick (harpsichord).

Chamber music played an important role in the creative output of W. F. Bach, even though the surviving body of his works is not large. The duets, flute sonatas and trio sonatas originated primarily in Dresden (1733–1746) during the years of his first mastery as an organist – equally under the influence of the works of his father and the leading composers of the Court of Dresden at that time – and also during the late years of his life in Berlin. Inspite of their high technical demands, these are in no way merely brilliant show pieces, rather they consistently demonstrate an extraordinarily sophisticated compositional working out of musical material which raises them far above the niveau of their time. For the first time in recent times editions of the Trio in B flat major in the original version for two violins, and the Trio in B major for violin and obbligato harpsichord are now available. --- carus-verlag.com

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Sinfonia in D major (used as prelude to cantata 'Dies ist der Tag'), F. 64
1. Sinfonia in D major F. 64 (BR C8): 1. Allegro e maestoso 	
2. Sinfonia in D major F. 64 (BR C8): 2. Andante 
3. Sinfonia in D major F. 64 (BR C8): 3. Vivace 	
4. Sinfonia in D minor ('Adagio and Fugue'), F. 65 (BR C7) 	

Overture (Suite) for strings & continuo in G minor 'No. 5' (doubtful), BWV 1070
5. 1. Ouverture. Larghetto 	
6. 2. Torneo 					play	
7. 3. Aria. Adagio 	
8. 4. Menuetto alternativo - Trio 	
9. 5. Capriccio 	

Harpsichord Concerto in D major, F. 41
10. 1. Allegro 	Listen
11. 2. Andante 	Listen
12. 3. Vivace 	Listen

Sinfonia for strings in F major ('Dissonant'), F. 67
13. 1. Vivace 	Listen
14. 2. Andante 	Listen
15. 3. Allegro 	Listen
16. 4. Menuetto 1 & 2					play

Charlotte Nediger – harpsichord
Tafelmusik (on period instruments)
Jeanne Lamon – director

W.F. was Bach's oldest son, and musical history hasn't been kind to him for a number of reasons. Apparently he had a drinking problem or some other behavioral difficulty, since he seemed to have trouble keeping a job. When his father died, he received a third of his music manuscripts and proceeded to sell or pawn them, which is why so many of Bach's cantatas and other works are lost. As a composer his music obviously shows something of his father's influence, and possibly that of alcohol--and many great musicians have been alcoholics. Well, his music is certainly interesting, and these are fine performances. Give them a whirl. ---David Hurwitz, Editorial Reviews

This disc goes a long way to support the idea that Wilhelm Friedemann, despite his personal problems, was the most talented composer of Bach's sons. Indeed, the Suite in G minor included here was long considered to be the work of Sebastian. All of the music performed here has a vitality and craftsmanship that is very appealing. The opening Sinfonia in D has a sound very reminiscent of the Dresden school, and is optimistic and slightly quirky. The highlight for me is the Sinfonia in D minor for two flutes, strings and continuo. It starts with a very slow langorous adagio which employs striking dissonances between the flutes and moves into a fugue of tremendous contrapuntal rigor. Here is where the musical genuis of Wilhelm is most evident as this fugue shows him to be a very good pupil of his father, except that it is made all the more interesting by some shocking harmonic side-steps. The music of Wilhelm Friedemann has never been very well recorded, and this appears to be one of the best programs available. Tafelmusik play flawlessly with great passion and verve. --- scott (Calgary, Canada)

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