Gewitternacht (“Night of Storms”) explores the fascinating musical world that emerged after the death of Johann Sebastian Bach in 1750 – a symbolic turning point in music history. It marks the rise of new styles like Empfindsamkeit (the Style of Sensibility) and Sturm und Drang, with a stronger focus on emotion, individuality, and expressive musical gestures. These ideas paved the way toward the Classical and later the Romantic era.

In her journey through the rich world of German vocal music, Latvian soprano Gunta Smirnova is accompanied by Mikayel Balyan, who plays the tangent piano, an eighteenth-century keyboard instrument.