The rich patrimony of works by the ancestors of Johann Sebastian Bach has been a focus of Ricercar's work since it's founding in the early 1980s, with recordings made by Philippe Herreweghe's Collegium Vocale and the Ricercar Consort.

Ricercar has continued it's explorations of this repertoire since that time with recordings by Vox Luminis (Lionel Meunier) and Clematis, with the result that Ricercar has come to possess recordings of practically every part of this heritage. A few works, however, still remained to be recorded to complete this collection: instrumental pieces and a few sacred works, with music for organ and harpsichord in particular. The eminent musicologist Peter Wollny also shared his latest discoveries with us a few months ago: a magnificent motet with trumpets and timpani by Johann Michael Bach and a Latin motet that is the only known composition by Johann Christoph Bach, the elder brother of Johann Sebastian.

Ricercar proudly presents the first collection of the complete works of the ancestors of Johann Sebastian Bach.