One of Bach's principal activities during his years in Leipzig was his direction, from 1729 to 1741, of the local collegium musicum, a voluntary association of professional musicians and university students who gave regular weekly public concerts. For these popular occasions, Bach composed the six concertos included in this volume. Important historically because they are among the first keyboard concertos ever written, they continue to be studied and performed because of their rare and exuberant musical qualities. The six concertos are: Concerto in C Minor for 2 Harpsichords, BWV 1060; Concerto in C Major for 2 Harpsichords, BWV 1061; Concerto in C Minor for 2 Harpsichords, BWV 1062; Concerto in D Minor for 3 Harpsichords, BWV 1063; Concerto in C Major for 3 Harpsichords, BWV 1064; and Concerto in A Minor for 4 Harpsichords, BWV 1065.
Several of the concertos are based on works Bach had previously composed for other instrumental combinations. The Concerto for Four Harpsichords was based on Vivaldi's four-violin concerto, Op. 3, No. 10. All six works, reprinted here in one volume from the authoritative Breitkopf & Härtel edition, offer the splendid musical delights that Johann Sebastian Bach brought to his keyboard and orchestral composition.