Artist: Benjamin Alard Title: Johann Sebastian Bach: The Complete Works for Keyboard, Vol. 8: Köthen, 1717-1723 - For Maria Barbara Year Of Release: 2023 Label: harmonia mundi Genre: Classical Quality: FLAC (tracks) / 24bit-96kHz Total Size: 4.62 GB

Tracklist:

CD1

1. Sonata in D Minor, BWV 964: I. Adagio (4:05)
2. Sonata in D Minor, BWV 964: II. Fuga. Allegro (7:58)
3. Sonata in D Minor, BWV 964: III. Andante (5:14)
4. Sonata in D Minor, BWV 964: IV. Allegro (6:00)
5. Partita for solo violin No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004: V. Chaconne (Arr. for Keyboard) (13:17)
6. Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 539: Prelude (1:16)
7. Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 539: Fugue (5:27)
8. Adagio in G Major, BWV 968 (3:17)
9. Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598 (2:13)
10. Great Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542: Fantasia (5:01)

CD2

1. Invention in C Major, BWV 772 (1:23)
2. Sinfonia in C Major, BWV 787 (1:22)
3. Invention in F Major, BWV 779 (0:56)
4. Sinfonia in F Major, BWV 794 (1:21)
5. Invention in D Minor, BWV 775 (1:15)
6. Sinfonia in D Minor, BWV 790 (1:48)
7. Invention in G Major, BWV 781 (0:57)
8. Sinfonia in G Major, BWV 796 (1:20)
9. Invention in E Minor, BWV 778 (1:36)
10. Sinfonia in E Minor, BWV 793 (2:19)
11. Invention in A Major, BWV 783 (1:36)
12. Sinfonia in D Major, BWV 789 (1:31)
13. Invention in D Major, BWV 774 (1:25)
14. Invention in B Minor, BWV 786 (1:38)
15. Sinfonia in B Minor, BWV 801 (1:36)
16. L'Art de toucher le clavecin: Prelude in D Minor (1:20)
17. French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: I. Allemande (3:35)
18. French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: II. Courante (2:11)
19. French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: III. Sarabande (2:21)
20. French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: IV. Menuets I & II (2:58)
21. French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: V. Gigue (2:06)
22. L'Art de toucher le clavecin: Prelude in G Minor (0:54)
23. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: I. Allemande (3:10)
24. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: II. Courante (1:56)
25. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: III. Sarabande (3:56)
26. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: IV. Gavotte (1:17)
27. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: V. Bourrée (1:19)
28. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: VI. Loure (2:00)
29. French Suite No. 5 In G Major, BWV 816: VII. Gigue (3:25)
30. L'Art de toucher le clavecin: Prelude in B Minor (1:42)
31. French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814: I. Allemande (3:16)
32. French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814: II. Courante (2:21)
33. French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814: III. Sarabande (2:52)
34. French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814: IV. Anglaise (1:36)
35. French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814: V. Menuet - Trio (3:03)
36. French Suite No. 3 in B Minor, BWV 814: VI. Gigue (2:33)

CD3

1. Sinfonia in E-Flat Major, BWV 791 (1:50)
2. Invention in E-Flat Major, BWV 776 (1:46)
3. Sinfonia in C Minor, BWV 788 (1:52)
4. Invention in C Minor, BWV 773 (1:59)
5. Sinfonia in F Minor, BWV 795 (3:03)
6. Invention in F Minor, BWV 780 (1:33)
7. Sinfonia in B-Flat Major, BWV 800 (1:56)
8. Invention in B-Flat Major, BWV 785 (1:17)
9. Sinfonia in G Minor, BWV 797 (2:27)
10. Invention in G Minor, BWV 782 (1:29)
11. Sinfonia in E Major, BWV 792 (1:26)
12. Invention in E Major, BWV 777 (3:12)
13. Sinfonia in A Minor, BWV 799 (1:41)
14. Invention in A Minor, BWV 784 (1:21)
15. Sinfonia in A Major, BWV 798 (1:47)
16. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815a (Alternate Version): I. Prelude (1:23)
17. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: I. Allemande (2:55)
18. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: II. Courante (1:58)
19. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: III. Sarabande (3:03)
20. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: IV. Gavotte (1:15)
21. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: V. Menuet (0:45)
22. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: VI. Air (1:53)
23. French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815: VII. Gigue (2:38)
24. Prelude in C Minor, BWV 999 (1:46)
25. French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: I. Allemande (2:58)
26. French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: II. Courante (2:07)
27. French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: III. Sarabande (3:02)
28. French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: IV. Air (1:40)
29. French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: V. Menuet (3:10)
30. French Suite No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 813: VI. Gigue (2:36)
31. L'Art de toucher le clavecin: Prelude in E Minor (1:15)
32. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: I. Allemande (3:13)
33. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: II. Courante (1:57)
34. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: III. Sarabande (2:41)
35. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: IV. Gavotte (1:13)
36. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: V. Polonaise (1:06)
37. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: VI. Bourrée (1:32)
38. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: VII. Menuet (1:05)
39. French Suite No. 6 in E Major, BWV 817: VIII. Gigue (2:41)

Eagerly pursuing his exploration of Bach’s corpus for solo keyboard, Benjamin Alard focuses here on works associated with the composer’s first wife, Maria Barbara, and her untimely death in 1720.

This instalment therefore includes both the Inventions and Sinfonias, a collection of teaching pieces brimming with freshness and invention, and the prodigious French Suites, one of the peaks of Bach’s years in Cöthen