Krebs: Complete Harpsichord Music

Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780) was born in Buttelstedt, a small town in Thuringia and was sent to study organ, lute and violin in Leipzig. He spent nine years from 1726 to 1735 studying at the Thomasschule where Johann Sebastian Bach was Kantor. Krebs was considered one of his best students and he was Bach's assistant at the Thomaskirche, playing the harpsichord at the Collegium Musicum under the direction of his Master. Krebs left Leipzig in 1737 to take a position as organist of the Marienkirche in Zwickau. In 1755 he accepted a position as organist at the court of Duke Friedrich of Gotha-Sachsen-Altenberg in Altenburg where he remained until his death in 1780.

This newly recorded 6-CD set contains the complete music for harpsichord by Krebs. Such was the power and influence of Bach that it is inevitable that Krebs' style is strongly inspired by his master. Bach once remarked about his highly esteemed pupil: "Er ist der einzige Krebs in meinem Bache" (he is the only crab in my brook). The harpsichord works include Partitas, Suites, Sonatinas and Preludes. • The instruments used on this recording are a harpsichord by Detmar Hungerberg (2014) after Michael Mietke and a Silbermann Piano by Andrea Restelli (1996) after Gottfried Silbermann 1749.

Michele Benuzzi is one of the foremost and most enterprising keyboard players of the moment. His earlier recordings for Brilliant Classics, with works by Hässler, Gallés, Nichelmann and Benda, received excellent reviews, Fanfare gave an 'absolute highest recommendation' to Benuzzi's Hässler album. 'He is the ideal interpreter to bring this music to light: highly sensitive to the gesture and emotion of the music, yet capable of carrying the musical narrative forward in telling fashion."