Bach: Musikalisches Opfer

Bach didn’t really have a very glamorous career. A highlight, which actually made newspaper headline, was his concert for Frederick the Great in May 1747 where he improvised impressively on a fugal theme provided by the King himself. Later, Bach revised and published the music, expanding it to include two keyboard fugues, 10 canons and a trio sonata. What might appear rather cerebral music is imaginatively realized by Masaaki Suzuki and his players. Since Bach left few clues about how the Musical Offering should be performed, the players color each canon differently—the flute is more prominent in Canon 3 than Canon 5, for instance. Honoring Frederick’s preference for lighter, essentially tuneful music, Suzuki ensures the trio sonata (Sonata sopra il Soggetto Reale) radiates upbeat optimism alongside its deep humanity. An extra sonata plus 14 short canons from the Goldberg Variations round things out.