The South German Organ Tradition was a considerable influence on Bach’s oeuvre. This recording portrays representative works of the South German composers Johann Jakob Froberger, Johann Caspar Kerll, Georg Muffat and Johann Pachelbel alongside compositions of Bach, thus outlining these interrelations. In addition, this SACD realises the historical performance practice of the Magnificat: works by Pachelbel and Bach are newly combined in a traditional performance of the Magnificat including sung and played verses, forming one musical unity.

Two different instruments with different tunings have been used for this recording: the two early works by Froberger and Kerll are performed on the historic choir organ by Blasius Bernauer (1776) in Laufenburg, Switzerland, and the remaining works are played on the new Metzler organ (2005) in Stuttgart- Obertürkheim.