Celebration and Morality Brandenburg

The six captivating Brandenburg Concertos BWV 1046-1051 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) were presented to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt and brother of King Frederick William I of Prussia, in March 1721. Due to their magnitude, however, it is thought they were composed during the three preceding years when Bach was Kapellmeister at Köthen. Today, they constitute one of the most beloved collections of music in Baroque repertory.

Composed for several instruments, as Bach indicated in his dedication of the collection, they utilize the maximum potential of the orchestral instruments of that time. Bach strove to achieve new and audacious musical horizons; and the technical requirements are for virtuoso musicians.

Thought-provoking analysis of these scores by musicians such as Philip Pickett, speculate that aside from an evident interest by Bach to pay tribute to his noble patron, there were symbolic and allegorical signs that created a grand tableau in the concertos: a sort of pictorial vanitas to praise Margrave, portrayed as a classical hero with great skills as a warrior or hunter expertise. However, Bach also wanted to remind him that glory is short-lived and that mundane issues have a prosaic value. Life has an expiry date.

The Zefiro Baroque Orchestra is directed by oboist Alfredo Bernardini. It is an excellent ensemble which specializes in a repertory where Bernardini, Paolo (oboe) and Alberto Grazz (Bassoonist) triumphed as interpreters of the most outstanding Baroque orchestras in the Historically Informed Performance (HIP) movement in the 80s. These three founded the ensemble in 1989 with a strong sense of adaptability and polyvalence. Zefiro gives prominence to wind instruments and has various 18th century repertoire recordings, that have been recognized with its many international awards. Bernardini (Roma, 1961) is an acclaimed Baroque oboist who takes part in the important festivals and conducts ensembles such as the Baroque Orchestra of Sevilla (Orquesta Barroca de Sevilla) with which he has collaborated.