Description
Bach and the French baroque, The working title of the programme is Bach and the French baroque. L’art de toucher le
clavecin by François Couperin (1668-1733) was published in 1716 as a manual for the French style and gives important
instructions for playing the harpsichord as regards finger positions and ornamentations. The préludes are written-out
improvisations in the style of the Préludes non mésurée.
The Suites of Georg Böhm (1661-1733) were produced in an environment orientated towards France, like the court in German
Celle, where the French consort of Duke Georg Wilhelm resided. After her husband’s death, she lived for some years in
Lüneburg, where Böhm worked in the Johannis-Kirche. Besides the usual dances, the Suite in F Minor played here contains for
instance a French Ciaconne.