The harpsichordist Pierre Hantai gives a solo recital with thematically inspired work by Johann Sebastian Bach and Johann Jacob Froberger (1616-1667). The latter is generally considered to be the father of the piano suite. He combined elements of the Italian, French and German schools into his compositions. Froberger wrote mainly for organ and harpsichord. Bach was such a great admirer of Froberger's work that it undoubtedly acted as source of inspiration for him in his own writing for piano.
In 1708, Bach accepted the artistically and socially attractive position of chamber musician and organist at the court of Weimar. The newest Italian music, Vivaldi being a typical example, was regularly included in the court chapel programme. This music also influenced Bach's compositional style. In Weimar, he wrote a great deal of music for harpsichord and organ. This rapidly developed into the canon for these instruments. Even today, these works remain a source of inspiration for composers and a challenge for great performers. In the last few years, this young French harpsichordist has brought out a number of much-talked-about Bach recordings.