Johann Sebastian Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos comprise six concertos.
Bach dedicated the collection to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721. The works were probably written over several years before that dedication, drawing on instrumental styles Bach had encountered in central Europe.
The six concertos are unusually varied. Their scoring ranges from solo trumpet, flute, oboe, and violin combinations to the distinctive blend of the Fifth Concerto, which features harpsichord, flute, and violin. The set is not a single continuous composition, but six separate works grouped together.
The collection’s title comes from the dedication, not from a commission by the Brandenburg court. Bach’s original manuscript described them as concertos for several instruments, while the familiar “Brandenburg” name became standard later. They are now among the best-known examples of Baroque orchestral music.