Performers: Kim Pineda, transverse flute; Elisabeth Wright, harpsichord; Elisabeth Reed, violoncello
The music of Johann Sebastian Bach constitutes an apex of western classical music. Born into a musical family, he chose a professional career as a musician. At various times in his life he was a performer, teacher, and composer. Although he was highly respected by his contemporaries for his keyboard and improvisational skills, "Old Bach," as he was known in his later years, was not always respected as a composer, for he wrote no operas nor did he participate in new dramatic styles. The five works on this recording were composed in three different periods in Bach's life and demonstrate his mastery of instrumental composition.