Bach

In THE EARLY MUSIC LOG fra bernardo presents milestones in the interpretation of music from earlier centuries. In 1954, music history was written in Vienna. Behind the high altar of the Franciscan Church, a crowd of young musicians gathered in front of the city's oldest organ with harpsichordist and organist Gustav Leonhardt to record sacred music by Johann Sebastian Bach with countertenor Alfred Deller. According to Leonhardt's revolutionary idea and research, it was not to be an orchestra accompanying the singing star, but a new ensemble with soloists. So the Leonhardt Baroque Ensemble brought together young committed musician friends who played on period instruments. Today, the list of performers reads like a Who's Who of early music: Gustav Leonhardt played the historic Wöckherl organ, Nikolaus Harnoncourt the cello, Eduard Melkus and Marie Leonhardt violins and Harnoncourt's later wife Alice Hoffelner viola. This exemplary recording is complemented by the premiere recording of the 4th Brandenburg Concerto on period instruments conducted by Josef Mertin, the doyen of early music in Vienna from the Bach year 1950.