This is Volume 2 in Chandos’ series of orchestral works by Johann Friedrich Fasch, a contemporary of J.S. Bach and Telemann. In his day, his output in terms of cantatas, concertos, symphonies, and chamber music was performed extensively across the German-speaking world, and Fasch was held in great esteem by Bach who owned copies of six of his orchestral suites, and arranged at least one of his piano trio sonatas for organ.

Fasch, perhaps more than any other composer of the age, marks the transition from baroque to early classical. He was an initiator, and his music broke down the mould of the fugal style in favour of thematic development, which became the basis of romantic writing. Richard Stone of Tempesta di Mare describes his music as ‘fantastic, true discoveries… they have the breadth and complexity of J.S. Bach without the austerity, and have a much more evolved sense of orchestral colour that is truly extraordinary’. The works on this album are recorded live in concert at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, US.

Tempesta di Mare, the Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, performs baroque music on baroque instruments with what the Philadelphia City Paper describes as ‘zest and virtuosity that transcends style and instrumentation’. Under its artistic directors Gwyn Roberts and Richard Stone, and with Emlyn Ngai as concertmaster, the ensemble performs a repertoire ranging from staged opera with full orchestra to chamber music. The group performs without a conductor, as was the practice when this music was new. Tempesta di Mare has been recording exclusively for Chandos since 2004, to worldwide popular and critical acclaim.