Heinrich Bach (1615-1692)
Kyrie

Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703)
Der Gerechte
Der Mensch vom Weibe
Aria "Es ist nun aus"

Johann Michael Bach (1648-1694)
Unser Leben währet siebzig Jahr
Sei lieber Tag willkommen
Herr, wenn ich nur Dich habe

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Choral "Du, o schönes Weltgebäude", BWV 56
Kyrie en fa majeur, BWV 233a

Johann Ludwig Bach (1677-1731)
Unsere Trübsal

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788)
Bitten, Wq 208 n° 3

Johann Ernst Bach (1722-1777)
Aus der Tieffen

Johann Bach (1604-1673)
Aria "Weint nicht um meinen Tod"/ Adam Drese (1620-1701)
Aria "Nun ist alles überwunden"

Ensemble Polyharmonique
Teatro del Mondo
Andreas Küppers, direction

L'Ensemble Polyharmonique que l'on a connu souverain dans Schütz nous revient ici avec un florilège de pièces chorales de la dynastie Bach. On peut d'emblée admirer l'extraordinaire cohésion de ce groupe de six chanteurs accompagnés ponctuellement par un orgue un luth ou un violone. Capable de magnifier un simple choral luthérien (BWV56), d'animer des pages sans grande envergure (Heinrich Bach), de faire preuve ensuite de l'éloquence et de l'expression rhétorique requises pour les Motets de Johann Christoph Bach. Signalons dans ce programme chronologique les hymnes-madrigaux de Johann Michael, quelques rares pages du Bach de Meiningen, Johann Ludwig, le "Bitten" de Carl Philipp Emmanuel issu du recueil de chansons inspiré du poète Gellert et l'intense "Aus der tieffen" de Johann Ernst. Un beau parcours qui nous fait découvrir si l'on s'y attarde à travers un langage vernaculaire commun (cf. textes joints à la notice) la singularité de l'expression musicale de chacun. (Jérôme Angouillant)

The close-knit nature of the Bach musical family is documented in many sources. They met regularly for family celebrations, exchanged experiences and, of course, always had an eye on where there was a vacant position. In baroque Central Germany, the name "Bach" was practically synonymous with the job title "musician". For the Ensemble Polyharmonique and Teatro del Mondo with its director Andreas Küppers, too, the "Old Bach Archive" is the most important starting point for the musical representation of Bach's "Family Affairs". Six compositions from this valuable collection were selected for the present recording. These pieces are complemented by further works from various Bach generations up to the late 18th century. A clearly audible connection is revealed not only by the consistent instrumentation of four to six vocal parts and basso continuo, but also by a kind of "family sound". Even when Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach composes a motet in the style of Empfindsamkeit, it may be assumed that he also had the works of his ancestors in mind, which were composed more than 100 years earlier. The "Family Affairs" with 15 works from four generations thus provide an impressive testimony to this unique musical dynasty.