Keyboard Partitas

Johann Adolph Scheibe (1708 Ð 1776) was a German-Danish composer and critic and theorist of music. As a composer Scheibe is nowadays largely unknown. Though most of his music is now lost, he composed over 150 church pieces and oratorios, some 200 concertos, two operas, and numerous sinfonias, chamber pieces, and secular cantatas. He is largely remembered because of his criticism of J.S. BachÕs musical style. In ÒDer Critische MusicusÓ (no.6) he criticised Bach for taking das KŸnstliche (technical or artificial) to excess, at the expense of das NatŸrliche (the natural). History judged harshly: Scheibe was wrong and his music and writings were neglected. ScheibeÕs music deserves a reevaluation. The seven partitas presented in this Edition are proof of that. The partitas vary in length, the number of dances, their type and order seem somewhat arbitrary. But they all have one thing in common: they stick to the mind. Originally meant for harpsichord, they work very well on organ too.