BACHFEST 
BACHFEST '06
31 Oct - 19 Nov 2006
To celebrate the London Bach Society's 60th anniversary
From the Artistic Director
For the anniversary celebrations, I have been inspired by Mozart's reaction when he was visiting Leipzig in 1789 and heard a performance of a Bach motet given by the Thomanerchor:... When the singing was finished he cried out, full of joy,
"Now, there is something one can learn from!"Extract from The New Bach Reader, p.488 ed. David & Mendel, revised & expanded Christoph Wolff, published by W W Norton & Company, 1998
Main Events
Thursday 2 November at 7.00pm
Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 - [South Kensington tube]
THOMANERCHOR LEIPZIG
Director Thomaskantor Georg Christoph Biller
RCM BAROQUE ORCHESTRA
Director Adrian Butterfield
J S Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No 3 BWV 1048
CPE Bach: Cello Concerto in A minor
J S Bach: Motet 'Jesu, meine Freude' BWV 227
J S Bach: Suite No 3 in D, BWV 1068
The concert will be preceded by an OPEN REHEARSAL of the choir at 5.15pm
Supported by Private Donors to the LBS Anniversary & Advancement Fund and a donation from Siemens plc.
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Wednesday 8 November from 2.30pm & from 7.00pm
St. Paul's Church Knightsbridge, Wilton Place SW1 - [Knightsbridge tube]
1st LBS BACHFEST PRIZE COMPETITION - THE SEMI-FINAL
Each semi-finalist will sing a Recitative and Aria from a Bach Passion
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Friday 10 November at 7.00pm (pl. note time)
St. John's, Smith Square, SW1 - [Westminster tube]
1st LBS BACHFEST PRIZE COMPETITION - THE FINAL
Jury: Paul Esswood, Peter Harvey, Ian Partridge, Anthony Robson, Margaret Steinitz (Chairman)
STEINITZ BACH PLAYERS
This inaugural competitive Bachfest Prize launched for the London Bach Society's Diamond Jubilee is for Singers. The Finalists will each present an all-Bach programme of their own choice, drawn from the composer's magnificent vocal repertory including the Passions, Masses and Cantatas.
1st Prize: The Paul Steinitz Bachfest Prize
Audience Prize: Awarded to the Finalist voted by audience ballot
Sponsored by Belmont International Ltd & private donors.
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Sunday 19 November at 11.00am
The Dutch Church in London, Austin Friars, EC2 - [Bank tube]
THE ANNUAL BACH CANTATA SERVICE
ENGLISH VOICES, STEINITZ BACH PLAYERS, Director TIM BROWN
To include a performance of Bach's Cantata "Ach wie flüchtig, ach wie nichtig" BWV 26 (originally performed at Leipzig on 19 November 1724).
There will also be an Anthem plus appropriate works from Bach's organ collection and those of his friends and contemporaries.
"The richly textured effects of the divided choruses were wonderfully delivered by the high-calibre ensemble English Voices". Evening Standard 2006 (Solomon/ René Jacobs)
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Other Events
Tuesday 31 October
Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 - [South Kensington tube]
Durrington Room @ 10.00am
DANCE TO BACH (I)
Adrian Butterfield - baroque violin
Mary Collins - dancer
A masterclass on the violin partitas and cello suites.
Recital Hall @ 1.05pm
A MUSICAL OFFERING
Alina Ibragimova - baroque violin
Marta Gonçalves - baroque flute
Claire Thirion - baroque 'cello
Erik Dippenaar - harpsichord
J S Bach: Partita in E major BWV 1006, Ricercare à 6 and Trio Sonata from Musikalisches Opfer BWV 1079
A Lunchtime Recital given by students at the Royal College of Music
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Wednesday 1 November at 2.00pm
Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 - [South Kensington tube]
VOCAL FACULTY MASTER CLASS
James Oxley
Arias from Bach's St. Matthew Passion
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Friday 3 November from 3.30pm-5.30pm
Canning House, Belgrave Square, London SW1 - [Knightsbridge tube]
DANCE TO BACH (II)
Adrian Butterfield baroque violin, Mary Collins dancer, Steinitz Bach Players
The London Bach Society and the unique Youthbridge scheme of the British-German Association are presenting a special project within the festival series where pupils from various member-schools have the opportunity to experience the German musical language as part of their German language studies.
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Information
BACHFEST INFORMATION LINE +44 (0) 1883 717372
Use this number for any of the following: -
- To book tickets (from 1 September)
- To join the London Bach Society - we welcome new members at any time
- To give Donations and make a Gift Aid Declaration - currently the Diamond Jubilee Campaign
- To become a Bachfest Sponsor or Donor - we welcome new supporters at any time
Bachfest: Origins & Purpose
Founded in 1990 and originally known as the London Bach Festival, the LBS annual Bachfest has taken the Society's musical priorities and developed them to create a continuing platform for contemporary Bach scholars, players and singers. The programmes place the music performed in the context of Bach's life and times, drawing on the repertory of his forebears, contemporaries, family and followers. To provide the 'total experience' the music is performed in appropriate buildings and uses forces with which Bach might have been familiar. Sometimes this leads us to move away from performing in traditional venues and to step boldly towards those settings that can provide an aesthetic complement, and therefore enhanced experience for the listener.
Also it is no accident that the Festival takes place around 31 October - Reformationsfest/Reformation Festival. This is the annual celebration that marks the foundation of the Lutheran Church, which Bach served all his life and for which he provided his treasury of church music. Therefore it is an appropriate way to start setting the composer's life and work in context and to launch the LBS annual Bachfest.
Bachfest: Education & The Community
An important reflection of the composer's life and LBS priority is the substantial Education programme that interweaves each series. Our present collaboration is with the Royal College of Music. This enables eminent scholars, specialist professionals and contemporary students to work with each other in a way that will prepare new generations for a career in music, whether on the concert stage, in the classroom or in the community hall. Members of the public are invited to be part of the learning and discovery process, and are given access to all educational events. These have proved to be very popular, with many classes, lectures, concerts and recitals packed to the doors!
Bachfest: Participation
Participation is by invitation. Promotional material received will be read and followed up as appropriate.
Bachfest: Some Views from the Pews:
First Festival concerts:
"...a cheering sign when so much of the 'early music' limelight is currently directed towards period instrument Brahms." - The Times, 1990
The Art of Fugue presented by Laurence Dreyfus, director of the fabulous Consort of Viols Phantasm:
"The whole thing was a joy from start to finish." - Early Music Magazine 1993
UK Debut of Thomanerchor Leipzig:
"Whatever mischief they get up to when not singing, they certainly cut the mustard when they *are* singing." - Daily Telegraph, 1994
LBS 50 th Anniversary celebrations:
"The London Bach Festival deserves credit for the prudent use of its resources, harnessing experienced performers alongside first-rate young musicians and thereby preserving a worthwhile tradition of Steinitz family values." - The Independent, 1996
On the stimulating and audience-friendly Fretwork playing some Preludes and Fugues from the '48’ in consort:
"...it was refreshing to hear these pieces through a different medium."
"...commendable education programme.." - Early Music Today, 1999
On the Steinitz Bach Players playing Brandenburg 4:
"It was nice to see a number of players finding little things to smile about in a work as well known as this - such apparent enjoyment is appreciated by audiences." - Early Music Review 2004