Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050
In the world of the Baroque orchestra, every instrument knew its place. The violins carried the melodies, the cellos provided the bass line, and the harpsichord… well, the harpsichord was the respectable, reliable accompanist. It filled in the harmonies, provided rhythmic drive, but stayed dutifully in the background. It was the musical equivalent of a designated driver: essential, but never the life of the party. With the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, Johann Sebastian Bach decided to shatter that convention in the most spectacular way imaginable. This concerto isn't
...
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D Major, BWV 1050
In the world of the Baroque orchestra, every instrument knew its place. The violins carried the melodies, the cellos provided the bass line, and the harpsichord… well, the harpsichord was the respectable, reliable accompanist. It filled in the harmonies, provided rhythmic drive, but stayed dutifully in the background. It was the musical equivalent of a designated driver: essential, but never the life of the party. With the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto, Johann Sebastian Bach decided to shatter that convention in the most spectacular way imaginable. This concerto isn't just a piece of music; it's a musical coup d'état.
The story likely begins in 1719, when Bach traveled to Berlin to purchase a magnificent new two-manual harpsichord built by Michael Mietke for his employer’s court in Cöthen. A musician with a brand-new instrument is like a chef with a new set of knives; they can’t wait to show it off. It’s almost certain that Bach, one of the most formidable keyboard virtuosos of all time, wrote this concerto specifically to demonstrate the capabilities of this new instrument and, not so subtly, his own breathtaking skill.
This was the same Bach, after all, who was once set to face the famed French keyboardist Louis Marchand in a musical "duel." As the story goes, Marchand, having heard Bach warming up the night before, discreetly fled town rather than face public humiliation. Bach knew exactly what he was capable of at the keyboard, and in this concerto, he holds nothing back.
The work begins politely enough. The solo group—a flute, a violin, and the harpsichord—engages in a bright, cheerful dialogue with the orchestra. It feels like a standard concerto grosso, with the soloists trading elegant phrases. But listen closely to the harpsichord. It starts to get restless. Its lines become more complex, its passagework more brilliant, its presence more assertive. It’s no longer content to just play chords.
Then, about two-thirds of the way through the first movement, the unthinkable happens. The orchestra and the other soloists fall silent. The harpsichord, freed from its traditional role, completely takes over. What follows is one of the first and greatest keyboard cadenzas ever written—a staggering, sixty-five-measure torrent of manic energy, cascading scales, and wild harmonic explorations. It’s as if Bach has unleashed a beast that has been chained up for centuries. For a Baroque audience, this moment would have been utterly shocking and exhilarating.
After the harpsichord has exhausted itself and the orchestra finally returns to conclude the movement, the Affettuoso provides a much-needed moment of repose. In this exquisitely tender movement, the orchestra is silent, leaving just the three soloists to weave a delicate, introspective tapestry of sound. It is a moment of profound intimacy and beauty, a quiet conversation after the magnificent drama of the opening.
The finale is a joyous, fugal dance—a Gigue that bubbles with infectious energy. The theme is tossed playfully between the flute, violin, and harpsichord, each instrument getting its chance to shine. The harpsichord is now a fully liberated and equal partner in the conversation, but the memory of its stunning first-movement takeover lingers. Having staged its revolution, it now graciously rejoins the ensemble, its point having been emphatically and brilliantly made.
