Sunday Baroque

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Bach – Pastorella in F major BWV 590 – Smits | Netherlands Bach Society

This Pastorella in F major – recorded here for All of Bach with Reitze Smits – refers to Italy, to ‘sheperds’ music and with that to Christmas. But it also has parts separate from these themes. A work that is hard to place in one corner, but who cares after hearing the exuberant three-part invention Bach presents us with at the end. – Netherlands Bach Society

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Vivaldi:  Recorder Concerto in C Major RV 443 (“flautino”) animation, Hanneke van Proosdij, sopranino

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Bach – ‘Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine’ from St John Passion BWV 245 | Netherlands Bach Society

The chorus ‘Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine’ from St John Passion, performed by the Nederlands Bach Society for All of Bach. The St John Passion was the first Passion Bach had written as cantor in Leipzig. The Passion story as told in the Gospel of John is different from that told by the other three evangelists – Matthew, Luke and Mark. John’s version places the emphasis on Christ’s divine origin. Throughout his suffering, this divine origin still plays a role and nowhere is Jesus as human as in the other gospels. – Netherlands Bach Society