Bach is probably the most frequently played composer of all time; no modern musician can consider himself educated without studying his music. During the nineteenth century the piano became a permanent feature of virtually every middle-class home and all manner of music was arranged for it. There was also a revival of interest in music of earlier times, spearheaded by figures such as Mendelssohn who performed Bach’s St Matthew Passion for the first time since Bach’s death. The composers featured in this recording followed this trend, re-interpreting Bach for new generations.