Following their acclaimed recording of C.P.E. Bach’s "Hamburg" Symphonies (BIS-2459), Arte dei Suonatori and conductor/harpsichordist Marcin Świątkiewicz turn to an earlier group of works: the six "Berlin" Symphonies, composed between 1755 and 1758.
These symphonies already display many of the qualities that make C.P.E. Bach such a distinctive voice. Full of sudden contrasts, unexpected turns, and intense emotional expression, they embody the spirit of Empfindsamkeit—the highly personal and expressive style that influenced a generation of composers.
For this recording, Arte dei Suonatori has chosen the original versions for strings and continuo, before the later addition of wind parts. As a result, this release is the first complete recording to present all six symphonies together in their original scoring.
Performed by a compact ensemble with one player to a part, the music gains an intimate, chamber-like character in which every musical line remains clearly audible. Drawing on historical performance practice, Świątkiewicz and the musicians explore the close relationship between music, poetry, speech rhythms, and dance, bringing fresh vitality to these remarkable works.
