Johann Caspar Friedrich Fischer was a slightly older contemporary of J. S. Bach. The eight suites published in 1698 as Blumen-Büchlein (Little Book of Flowers) demonstrate Fischer to be a remarkably inventive and tuneful composer. He was an important mentor of Bach in the writing of orchestral and keyboard suites of dances and in composing preludes and fugues. Much of his music is so fine as to defy comparison with Bach's. Today's performers are exploring it with enthusiasm. Colin Booth plays Suites I and VI on a single-manual Italian harpsichord with 17th-century-style compass. For the other six suites, he uses a more conventional two-manual harpsichord based on the design of a brass-strung French original of 1661. Notes on the music and instruments cover 8 pages of the 12-page booklet. Imported by Raven.

The Eight Suites of 1698:

Suite One
Praeludium
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte
Menuet

Suite Two
Praeludium
Ballet
Menuet
Rondeau
Canaries
Passepied

Suite Three
Praeludium
Passacaille
Bourée
Menuet

Suite Four
Praeludium
Branle
Amener
Gavotte
Courante
Bourée
Menuet

Suite Five
Praeludium
Aria
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8

Suite Six
Praeludium
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gigue
Bourée
Menuet

Suite Seven
Pareludium
Plainte
Rondeau
Gavotte
Menuet et Trio

Suite 8
Preludium
Chaconne