Orchestra of the 18th Century

They have the 18th century in their name, but it is not a strict period limitation, but rather a musical attitude. The Orchestra of the 18th Century is committed to historically informed performance practice; the musicians play on original instruments and cultivate a lean sound based on historical performance conditions. They describe their approach as 'critical, curious, exploratory and progressive', and it is with this attitude that they relate to Bach in concert. In the 19th century, Felix Mendelssohn was one of the greatest advocates of the Thomaskantor, and he also declared his support for Bach with his contrapuntal Fifth Symphony. And it is to Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach that we owe the continuation of his father's musical legacy, even as he cultivated a new style of his own. The solo part in C.P.E. Bach's Third Cello Concerto is played by the Canadian-French cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras, whose recording of the concertos has received critical acclaim.