Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach is the most famous of the sons of J.S. Bach. His magisterial oeuvre contains, notably, a large number of concertos for various instruments and keyboard pieces. But the composer also excelled at vocal music, thus continuing in the family tradition by composing, among other genres, sacred and secular cantatas and songs. His works respect the rules of Baroque style while also hinting at the dawn of the Classical style subsequently represented by Haydn and Mozart. Café Zimmermann has been including the music of C. P. E. Bach in its programmes for years, notably in a recording (ALPHA 107) that marked a turning point in the discography.

In Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s catalogue, the music for solo keyboard and the chamber music occupy central positions. In his youth, Carl Philipp Emanuel, who was left-handed, did not play string instruments such as the violin or viola, but rather the harpsichord and organ (not to overlook the flute). It was as a harpsichordist that, in 1738, he joined the entourage of the future King of Prussia, Frederick II, before following him to Berlin upon his accession two years later and then formally entering his service. In 1767, he was offered the succession of his godfather, Telemann, as director of music in Hamburg. He arrived in the Hanseatic city in March 1768, and for the last twenty years of his life, it was church music that occupied much of his time and effort.

Versailles: its court, its atmosphere and its music… So many splendours emblematic of a monument with an incomparably rich history. The works associated with the palace have travelled down the centuries and today represent a precious part of our heritage. In this ten-CD set, Alpha retraces the musical life of the unique and luminous universe of Versailles. Le Poème Harmonique, Café Zimmermann, Capriccio Stravagante and many others invite themselves into the company of Jean-Baptiste Lully, Marc-Antoine Charpentier and Jean-Henry d’Anglebert and share with us for a few hours the sumptuous concerts that made Versailles a place like no other.

This extensive release collects together all the recordings Café Zimmermann has made for Alpha: the fruit of many years of work, research and collaboration. Each separate performance has been realized with the greatest care, both in selecting the interpreting artists and in seeking out the very best acoustic conditions for the recording: the instruments, locations, and ample, well-calibrated sound balance have all been perfectly captured by Hugues Deschaux and d'Aline Blondiau, who from first to last ensured an entirely unprecedented sound transparency for every instrumental line. The combination of these elements has contributed to make Café Zimmermann a landmark among baroque ensembles. Here is a sixteen-album set to celebrate the ensembles 20th anniversary!

This extensive release collects together all the recordings Café Zimmermann has made for Alpha: the fruit of many years of work, research and collaboration. Each separate performance has been realized with the greatest care, both in selecting the interpreting artists and in seeking out the very best acoustic conditions for the recording: the instruments, locations, and ample, well-calibrated sound balance have all been perfectly captured by Hugues Deschaux and d'Aline Blondiau, who from first to last ensured an entirely unprecedented sound transparency for every instrumental line. The combination of these elements has contributed to make Café Zimmermann a landmark among baroque ensembles. Here is a sixteen-album set to celebrate the ensembles 20th anniversary!