Bach's Continuo Group

Players and Practices in His Vocal Works

Laurence Dreyfus

    When Bach's cantatas, masses, passions, and chorales were originally performed under the composer's direction, which instruments played the basso continuo, the line that establishes the harmonic framework? Bach's Continuo Group answers this and other fundamental questions and probes the rationale behind Baroque performance conventions.

Laurence Dreyfus is Thurston Dart Professor of Performance Studies and Head of the Music Department at King's College, London. A noted viola da gambist and cellist, he directs the viol consort Phantasm.