John Bryden opens a series of Bach’s organ arrangements of works by other composers with three Vivaldi concertos. Bach transcribed these around his Weimar years, when Vivaldi’s L’estro armonico and other concertos taught him Italian concerto form. The program includes the Concerto in A minor, BWV 593 (after the Concerto for two violins, Op. 3 No. 8, RV 522), and the Concerto in D minor, BWV 596 (after the Op. 3 No. 11 for two violins and cello, RV 565). It closes with the Concerto in C major, BWV 594 (after the “Grosso Mogul” Violin Concerto, RV 208), which is transposed from D major and includes a long cadenza-like first movement and a Recitativo Adagio.

The three concertos give the organ a full orchestral repertoire to play with, from the contrapuntal exchanges of the double concertos to the solo-violin brilliance of the “Grosso Mogul.” Bryden plays the 1973 Schuke organ of the Parish of Santa Rita in Madrid, recorded with soundfield microphones by Sean Murray.

John Bryden – organ