C.P.E. Bach: Cello Concertos

By the 1770s, ‘Great Bach’ invariably denoted J. S.’s second son Carl Philipp Emanuel, revered by Haydn and Mozart and widely acknowledged as one of the supreme composers of the age. The unpredictable and ‘fantastical’ qualities which are so fundamental to Emanuel’s music are here given free rein by Nicolas Altstaedt, aided and abetted by Jonathan Cohen and Arcangelo in performances of astonishing brio.

Featured works

• C.P.E. Bach: Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor Wq. 170
• C.P.E. Bach: Cello Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major Wq. 171
• C.P.E. Bach: Cello Concerto No. 3 in A Major Wq. 172

Press & Praise

GRAMOPHONE

“Nicolas Altstaedt and the sinewy warmth of his 1760 Gigli are a great fit for this often rather wild music…Arcangelo under Cohen breathe the music, capturing the frequent storminess but also bringing substantial dignity, their zing coming from their actual tone and lucid textural balance…a great listen.”

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE AWARD WINNER 2017

“[Nicolas Altstaedt]’s approach is so indefinably delicate, the phrasing of C.P.E. Bach’s seductive lines limpid, the recitative hyperarticulate … Arcangelo prove inspired partners, lending disruptive energy without ever overwhelming Altstaedt’s often princely lyricism.”

THE FINANCIAL TIMES

“Nicolas Altstaedt captures [these works’] freedom of thought with infectious spontaneity. Period-instrument ensemble Arcangelo, conducted by Jonathan Cohen, radiates the heat and energy of music conceived in the furnace of the Classical era.”