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The Bachfest Leipzig is marking a special anniversary in 2023: In the year 1723, so exactly 300 years ago, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) took up his post as cantor of St. Thomas Church in the Saxon city. His job involved planning the music for worship in several churches on around 60 days of the year, as well as teaching pupils at the St. Thomas School. To accomplish this mammoth task, Bach composed cantatas at a rate of almost one a week during his first year in office alone. The compositions, which later became known as Bach’s “first cantata cycle in Leipzig,” not only astonished his contemporaries but continue to delight people to this day. These compositions are extraordinary not only for their diversity but also for the way in which Bach reworked traditional musical forms and expanded the genre into new creative terrain – all in the space of one year between 1723 and 1724. Despite their technical challenges, these cantatas are among the Baroque composer’s most popular and frequently performed works. Philippe Herreweghe, one of the few star conductors for early music, has chosen four cantatas from Bach’s first cantata year in Leipzig, which Bach composed specifically for his Leipzig ensemble and performed between New Year’s Day and the Feat of Epiphany in 1724. Herreweghe is conducting his world-famous ensemble, Collegium Vocale Gent, in the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. At a glance: (00:00) Opening (00:58) Welcome of conductor Philippe Herreweghe and the Collegium Vocale Gent by Michael Maul, artistic director of the Bachfest Leipzig (01:36) Interview with Philippe Herrewege on the four Bach cantatas (15:14) Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen, BWV 65 (They will all come forth out of Sheba) (30:32) Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir, BWV 73 (Lord, as you will, so let it be done with me) (45:23) Jesus schläft, was soll ich hoffen, BWV 81 (Jesus sleeps, what shall I hope for?) (1:02:40) Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 190.1 (Sing a new song to the Lord) Performers: Aisling Kenny | SOPRANO Alex Potter | ALTUS Benedict Hymas | TENOR Peter Kooij | BASS COLLEGIUM VOCALE GENT Annelies Brants, Anna-Sophie Brosig, Magdalena Podkościelna | SOPRANO Daniel Folqué, Cécile Pilorger, Bart Uvyn | ALTUS Graham Cooper, Peter Di-Toro, Patrik Hornak | TENOR Philipp Kaven, Robert van der Vinne, Bart Vandewege | BASS Christine Busch, Meng Han, Maria Roca | VIOLIN I Dietlind Mayer, Marieke Bouche, Paul Bialek | VIOLIN II Deidre Dowling, Kaat de Cock | VIOLA Hanna Flekova, Harm-Jan Schwitters | CELLO Miriam Shalinsky | DOUBLE BASS Jasu Moisio, Takahiro Kitazato, Thimotée Oudinot | OBOE Bart Coen, Koen Dieltiens | RECORDER Julien Debordes | BASSOON Alain de Rudder, Arne van Eenoo, Yorick Roscam | TRUMPET Thomas Friedländer, Franziska Jacknau | HORN Maude Gratton | ORGAN David Dewaste | TIMPANI Philippe Herreweghe | DIRECTOR The internationally renowned conductor and Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe founded the Collegium Vocale Gent in 1970. Together they perform early music as a kind of historical performance practice. In 1989, the vocal ensemble was expanded to include an orchestra made up of first-class international performers of Baroque music. With the Collegium Vocale Gent choir and orchestra, Herreweghe has since produced landmark early music recordings, including the cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach. © 2023 Deutsche Welle/Bachfest Leipzig Thumbnail photo: © Bachfest Leipzig 2023 Watch more concerts in your personal concert hall: and in our Bach playlist: Subscribe to DW Classical Music: #bach #cantata #baroquemusic
