Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Exciting Bach News

I love it when this happens:

Previously unknown Bach work discovered

The article has been picked up by numerous news outlets (including FOX news, ha!). Basically, a previously unknown Bach work for soprano and keyboard (or string) accompaniment was discovered in Weimar, in a set of 18th century German birthday cards. The piece was composed for a German duke's birthday, when Bach was 28. It is a strophic aria, the only one of Bach's output. Wolff legitimizes it as real with his verbal stamp of approval, Baerenreiter plans to publish it, and John Elliot Gardner plans to record it. I find the comment at the bottom about copyright to be a bit amusing. It's an excting time for Bach appreciators, what with this new music and the manuscripts in the Kovner gift to Juliard.

I am looking forward to hearing it! And playing it at some point.

No comments: