. Bach: Cello Concerto in A Minor Wq 170 William Skeen & Voices of Music, original instruments

The opening Allegro Assai from Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Concerto in A minor, , presented in celebration of his 300th anniversary. Performed on original instruments by the Early Music ensemble Voices of Music, William Skeen, soloist; 4K UHD video from our Virtuoso Concertos concert, November, 2014. . Bach transformed the musical language at the end of the Baroque, and as part of this process he also elevated the role of the cello, so that as a solo instrument it became the equal of the keyboard, violin and flute. This new balance is represented by the presentation of Bach’s concertos in multiple forms: the solo parts for the cello concertos were also arranged for harpsichord and flute. Although it is tempting to speculate that the cello versions were composed first, or specifically with the cello in mind, it is also quite possible that Carl Philipp could, first of all, handle the composition of three versions simultaneously, and, second, that he, like his father, was accomplished on a vari