We can say that Chamber Music (in the Baroque, ‘musica de camera’ (church) as opposed to musica da chiesa’) is music for a small group of musicians, let us look at examples of this from the Baroque.
The Brandenburg Concerti date from, at the latest, 1721, when Johann Sebastian Bach sent the six concerti in manuscript – in his own hand rather than a copyist – to the Margrave of Brandenburg as a job application.
The number of performers required for the full set, 17, is the same number of performers Bach had at his disposal at Köthen where he was working at the time.
Due to the lack of interest in music, the concerti were filed away until 1734, then sold to someone else, and lay untouched until 1849, and only performed for the first time the year after – one hundred years after Bach’s death.
The score was nearly blown up during World War 2, and then found popularity amongst orchestras, leading the set of concerti to be widely regarded as the finest example of Baroque instrumental music.
The concerti have no predecessor in their variety or originality.
Concerto 1, in F, BWV 1046
(in four movements, scored for two corni da caccia (natural horns), three oboes, bassoon, violino piccolo, two violins, viola, and basso continuo)
Concerto 2, in F, BWV 1047
(in three movements, scored for Concertino: clarino (natural trumpet), recorder, oboe, violin; Ripieno: two violins, viola, violone, and basso continuo)
Concerto 3, in G – BWV 1048
(in three movements, scored for three violins, three violas, three ‘cellos, and basso continuo)
Concerto 4, in F – BWV 1049
(in three movements, scored for Concertino: Violin and two “flauti d’echo” (recorders) Ripieno: two violins, viola, violone, and basso continuo)
Concerto 5, in D – BWV 1050
(in three movements, scored for Concertino: Violin, “Traversiere” (flute), and Harpsichord Ripieno: violin, viola, violone, and basso continuo)
Concerto 6, in B flat – BWV 1051
(in three movements, scored for two viole da bracchio, two viole da gambo, violoncello, violone, and harpsichord)
