The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra has released a new concert recording with an interesting program: “Grand Tour.” That’s the title of their concept album highlighting music that would have been encountered during an 18th century Grand Tour in Germany.
The Grand Tour was a lengthy trip that wealthier young men would take to broaden their horizons, often focusing on art and music. The album traces a route through the musical centers of Germany from Freiburg to Berlin, stopping in Rastat, Stuttgart and Eisenach along the way.
The recording includes music by two Bachs — Johann Sebastian Bach with two pieces, including one of the Brandenburg Concertos, and his older cousin Johann Ludwig Bach. There are also works by more obscure composers: Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer, Johann Christoph Pez and Johann Sigismund Kusser.
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The premise of the program also features musical influences from outside of Germany that were popular at the time, with pieces composed in French and Italian styles.
The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra is a delight to experience. They often stand up to perform, and the concerts are lively, with a certain spontaneity and freshness. That immediacy and authenticity shine through on this concert recording, easily transporting the listener throughout the rich musical world of 18th-century Germany.
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