So named because they were dedicated to the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1721, Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos contain some of the most sumptuous and virtuosic instrumental writing in all of his output. Each is composed for a different line-up, from the intimacy of concertos 3 and 6, composed for strings alone, to the bombastic splendour of Nos. 1 and 2, with their blazing trumpet and horns. Join us as we explore these astonishing instrumental jewels, presented in their entirety (in Edinburgh and Madrid), alongside two of Bach’s best-loved alto cantatas with soloist Meg Bragle (in Philadelphia and Washington), and with our wind soloists taking centre stage (in Perth and Glasgow).

‘For all the debates on historically informed performance, the most persuasive aspect of this concert was the sheer sense of joy’ — The Times