For more than three centuries, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach has moved listeners with extraordinary power. At its heart lies relationship, and Double Bach offers an opportunity to deepen that experience of dialogue. In Bach's double concertos for two soloists, the point is not rivalry or dazzling display. Even in their most virtuosic passages, they remain a sounding record of relationship, concentration and attentiveness to another person.
The Concerto in D minor for Two Violins, BWV 1043, is one of the most frequently performed violin concertos in history. Its enduring popularity stems not only from its masterly structure and virtuosity, but also from the extraordinary emotional tension created between the two solo parts. The Concerto in C major for Two Harpsichords, BWV 1061.2, by contrast, grew out of a chamber duet, to which Bach most likely added the orchestral part only later. The work is shaped by the intimate relationship between the two solo instruments.
Composed during Bach’s early creative period, the Sinfonia from the cantata Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis, BWV 21, delights with its subtle orchestration and exceptional emotional depth. The Concerto in C minor for Oboe and Violin, BWV 1060R, on the other hand, conceals an intriguing story behind the letter ‘R’. The original score has not survived, and the modern version was reconstructed from Bach's later concerto for two harpsichords.
The Wrocław Baroque Orchestra is one of Poland’s leading period-instrument ensembles. It is one of those ensembles that bring masterpieces written three hundred years ago vividly to life through the freshness and vitality of their interpretations. Their concerts are intense, deeply engaging musical experiences, performed with passion and imagination. Jarosław Thiel, an outstanding cellist who has shaped the character of the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra since its foundation, is one of the leading figures of Poland’s early music scene. His interpretations combine historical awareness with naturalness and dramatic flair, achieving a result that is at once remarkably precise and contemporary in its emotional impact.
The soloists, Aleksandra Rupocińska and Ewa Mrowca, are two outstanding harpsichordists who rank among the leading artists on Poland’s early music scene. They combine virtuosity with lightness, and precision with musical freedom. In Bach’s music, they create a dialogue of great subtlety, in which the harpsichord becomes the true centre of the musical narrative.
Maria Peryt
