- Agenda
2025 | |||
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April 18, 18:00
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Germany
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Konzerthaus, Freiburg – SOLD OUT Johannes Passion – J.S. Bach +
“This music expresses things that until then no one had dared or been able to express.” These are composer Hans Werner Henze’s words about Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion. We can only agree with this statement because Bach’s Passions remain unique in music history. It is clear from the very first notes that this shorter and more dramatic version of the passion story is a ‘must’ to experience live, especially in this interpretation by Vox Luminis together with the Freiburger Barockorchester conducted by Lionel Meunier.
Coproduction: Perpodium |
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May 18, 14:30
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Belgium
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Eglise St-Jean-Baptiste de Herve, Herve Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae a 5 – R. de Lassus +
In the mid-16th century, a heated debate raged in the Vatican about polyphony in religious practice. The complex play of simultaneously sung lines made it difficult to understand the words, sceptics maintained, which was good reason to ban polyphonic music from the liturgy. Their most notorious opponent – as legend has it – was Pope Marcellus II. His adamant insistence that polyphony could in fact be clearly understood may have been the most remarkable statement of his papacy, which only lasted 22 days. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was charged with writing a new mass to prove the Pope right. The Missa Papae Marcelli is a success in every respect: transparent textures ensure the texts are fluent without the slightest compromise in terms of style or refinement. The piece became a paragon of Tridentine polyphony, inspiring generations of composers and leading to the epithet ‘saviour of polyphony’ for da Palestrina.
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May 20, 20:30
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France
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Oratoire du Louvre, Paris Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae a 5 – R. de Lassus +
In the mid-16th century, a heated debate raged in the Vatican about polyphony in religious practice. The complex play of simultaneously sung lines made it difficult to understand the words, sceptics maintained, which was good reason to ban polyphonic music from the liturgy. Their most notorious opponent – as legend has it – was Pope Marcellus II. His adamant insistence that polyphony could in fact be clearly understood may have been the most remarkable statement of his papacy, which only lasted 22 days. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was charged with writing a new mass to prove the Pope right. The Missa Papae Marcelli is a success in every respect: transparent textures ensure the texts are fluent without the slightest compromise in terms of style or refinement. The piece became a paragon of Tridentine polyphony, inspiring generations of composers and leading to the epithet ‘saviour of polyphony’ for da Palestrina.
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May 22, 20:00
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Spain
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Auditorio Príncipe Felipe, Oviedo Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae a 5 – R. de Lassus +
In the mid-16th century, a heated debate raged in the Vatican about polyphony in religious practice. The complex play of simultaneously sung lines made it difficult to understand the words, sceptics maintained, which was good reason to ban polyphonic music from the liturgy. Their most notorious opponent – as legend has it – was Pope Marcellus II. His adamant insistence that polyphony could in fact be clearly understood may have been the most remarkable statement of his papacy, which only lasted 22 days. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was charged with writing a new mass to prove the Pope right. The Missa Papae Marcelli is a success in every respect: transparent textures ensure the texts are fluent without the slightest compromise in terms of style or refinement. The piece became a paragon of Tridentine polyphony, inspiring generations of composers and leading to the epithet ‘saviour of polyphony’ for da Palestrina.
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May 23, 19:30
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Spain
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Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid – SOLD OUT Lamentationes Hieremiae Prophetae a 5 – R. de Lassus +
In the mid-16th century, a heated debate raged in the Vatican about polyphony in religious practice. The complex play of simultaneously sung lines made it difficult to understand the words, sceptics maintained, which was good reason to ban polyphonic music from the liturgy. Their most notorious opponent – as legend has it – was Pope Marcellus II. His adamant insistence that polyphony could in fact be clearly understood may have been the most remarkable statement of his papacy, which only lasted 22 days. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was charged with writing a new mass to prove the Pope right. The Missa Papae Marcelli is a success in every respect: transparent textures ensure the texts are fluent without the slightest compromise in terms of style or refinement. The piece became a paragon of Tridentine polyphony, inspiring generations of composers and leading to the epithet ‘saviour of polyphony’ for da Palestrina.
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June 7, 20:30
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Sweden
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The German church, Stockholm Bach Dynasty +
Bach’s knowledge of his family’s motets is evidenced by a remarkable collection known as the Altbachisches Archiv. This volume includes some twenty motets and a series of cantatas composed by successive generations of Bachs. It is thought to have passed through the hands of various family members, who made their own contributions and revisions, before Johann Sebastian acquired it sometime around 1739.
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June 13, 20:00
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USA
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Emmanuel Church, Boston G. Carissimi & K. Förster +
Without Giacomo Carissimi, the oratorio and the recitative might never have existed. The 17th-century Italian composer – an important predecessor of, and source of inspiration for Antonio Vivaldi – turned out to be a brilliant free spirit at the time of the counter-reformation. He was an advocate of emotional music to convert the people, and smuggled the intense expression of the opera into spiritual music. Operas were created with his masterly oratorios – inspired by Bible stories such as that of Jeptha, and his reflections on the transience of worldly ambitions in Vanitas Vanitatum. These include all the drama, tension and broad emotional spectrum characteristic of 17th-century opera.
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June 21, 19:30
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Czech Republic
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St Bartholomew Church, Moravský Krumlov Bach Dynasty +
Bach’s knowledge of his family’s motets is evidenced by a remarkable collection known as the Altbachisches Archiv. This volume includes some twenty motets and a series of cantatas composed by successive generations of Bachs. It is thought to have passed through the hands of various family members, who made their own contributions and revisions, before Johann Sebastian acquired it sometime around 1739.
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June 26, 19:00
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Japan
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Chōfu City Cultural Hall Tazukuri, Chōfu Bach Dynasty +
Bach’s knowledge of his family’s motets is evidenced by a remarkable collection known as the Altbachisches Archiv. This volume includes some twenty motets and a series of cantatas composed by successive generations of Bachs. It is thought to have passed through the hands of various family members, who made their own contributions and revisions, before Johann Sebastian acquired it sometime around 1739. It was against this backdrop, with the combination of these two hallmarks of Lutheran music — florid counterpoint and the chorale — that Bach composed Jesu, meine Freude.
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June 28, 17:00
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Japan
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Chōfu City Cultural Hall Tazukuri, Chōfu Rodelinda – G.F. Handel +
The 1724-1725 season that Rodelinda brings to a close is the most prolific in Handel’s opera-seria career, after Giulio Cesare and Tamerlano: the three works are recognised as three of the composer’s best.
Rodelinda was first performed at the King’s Theatre in London, on 13 February 1725. It was an immediate success. However, the opera was subsequently forgotten for many decades. The first modern production – in heavily altered form – was in 1920 and was the first of a series of modern Handel opera revivals. With the revival of interest in Baroque music and historically informed performance practice since the 1960s, Rodelinda, like all Handel operas, has been performed at many festivals and opera houses worldwide. Vox Luminis and Bach Collegium Japan join forces for a unique performance at the Chōfu International Music Festival. |
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July 2, 20:00
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Hong Kong
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St John’s Cathedral, Hong Kong Bach Dynasty +
Bach’s knowledge of his family’s motets is evidenced by a remarkable collection known as the Altbachisches Archiv. This volume includes some twenty motets and a series of cantatas composed by successive generations of Bachs. It is thought to have passed through the hands of various family members, who made their own contributions and revisions, before Johann Sebastian acquired it sometime around 1739. It was against this backdrop, with the combination of these two hallmarks of Lutheran music — florid counterpoint and the chorale — that Bach composed Jesu, meine Freude.
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July 5, 20:00
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Hong Kong
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Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Hong Kong Double-choir motets – J.S. Bach +
It is well known that Bach was very prolific throughout his life. However, he left us only 6 motets, 4 of which were written for a double choir. At least, this is what is reliably recorded in the Bach’s catalogue.
In the context of this new and exceptional collaboration between Vox Luminis and NOĒMA, the ensembles of Lionel Meunier and Sanders Lau will perform these 4 double-choir motets. |
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July 20, 11:00
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Austria
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Kollegienkirche, Salzburg Timor Dei +
Without Giacomo Carissimi, the oratorio and the recitative might never have existed. The 17th-century Italian composer – an important predecessor of, and source of inspiration for Antonio Vivaldi – turned out to be a brilliant free spirit at the time of the counter-reformation. He was an advocate of emotional music to convert the people, and smuggled the intense expression of the opera into spiritual music. Operas were created with his masterly oratorios – inspired by Bible stories such as those of Jeptha and Jonas. These include all the drama, tension and broad emotional spectrum characteristic of 17th-century opera.
Marc-Antoine Charpentier, a disciple of Carissimi, also wrote many oratorios, including some thirty based on biblical stories. The most moving of these, Le Reniement de Saint-Pierre, will be presented at this concert. |
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July 22, 20:30
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Austria
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Kollegienkirche, Salzburg Johannes Passion – J.S. Bach +
“This music expresses things that until then no one had dared or been able to express.” These are composer Hans Werner Henze’s words about Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion. We can only agree with this statement because Bach’s Passions remain unique in music history. It is clear from the very first notes that this shorter and more dramatic version of the passion story is a ‘must’ to experience live, especially in this interpretation by Vox Luminis together with the Freiburger Barockorchester conducted by Lionel Meunier.
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BOOK NOW |
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July 23, 20:30
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Austria
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Kollegienkirche, Salzburg Johannes Passion – J.S. Bach +
“This music expresses things that until then no one had dared or been able to express.” These are composer Hans Werner Henze’s words about Johann Sebastian Bach’s St John Passion. We can only agree with this statement because Bach’s Passions remain unique in music history. It is clear from the very first notes that this shorter and more dramatic version of the passion story is a ‘must’ to experience live, especially in this interpretation by Vox Luminis together with the Freiburger Barockorchester conducted by Lionel Meunier.
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August 15, 21:00
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France
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Basilique Saint-Sauveur, Rocamadour Mass in B minor (BWV 232) – J.S. Bach +
No one knows why, at the end of his life, a Protestant composer gathered up all his knowledge and expertise and expanded a previous arrangement of the Kyrie and the Gloria – a so-called Missa brevis from 1733 – into an entire Catholic Mass. It doesn’t matter anyway. The fact is that in this magnum opus, Bach succeeded in combining beauty and polyphonous complexity like never before. Bach at his best!
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August 24, 19:00
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Germany
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St. Cyprian- und Corneliuskirche, Ganderkesee Cantata “Herr, wende dich und sei mir gnädig” – J.C. Bach +
The organ Schnitger built for Ganderkesee in 1699 is one of his four best-preserved instruments. It goes without saying that it is once again the backdrop for the closing concert of the Arp Schnitger Festival. And for this, the Musikfest Atelier “Wege zu Bach”, led by Lionel Meunier goes in search of the influences that inspired the great composer. Many of them came from his own family!
Johann Sebastian, born in Erfurt in 1685, and his son Carl Philipp Emanuel both considered his cousin from the Arnstadt branch of the family, Johann Christoph, to be a “profound composer”, which is illustrated by his impressive cantata Herr, wende dich und sei mir gnädig. Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (BWV 61), with its vibrant melodies and youthful vigour, is one of Bach’s own most famous vocal works. The full concert programme will be put together once the Atelier participants have been selected at the start of the summer. With further works by the Bach family as well as his predecessors in the office of Thomaskantor, it will once again become clear that Johann Sebastian Bach’s genius had many sources of inspiration … |
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August 26, 20:00
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Austria
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Dom zu St. Jakob, Innsbruck Bach Dynasty +
Bach’s knowledge of his family’s motets is evidenced by a remarkable collection known as the Altbachisches Archiv. This volume includes some twenty motets and a series of cantatas composed by successive generations of Bachs. It is thought to have passed through the hands of various family members, who made their own contributions and revisions, before Johann Sebastian acquired it sometime around 1739. It was against this backdrop, with the combination of these two hallmarks of Lutheran music — florid counterpoint and the chorale — that Bach composed Jesu, meine Freude.
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August 30, 19:30
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Germany
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Kulturkirche St. Stephani, Bremen Requiem – H.I.F. Biber +
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber is best known as the unequaled violin virtuoso of his time and as Mozart’s predecessor at the archbishop’s court in Salzburg. There, during his employment as Kapellmeister, Biber wrote a Requiem not less impressive in its expressive qualities than Mozart’s, with poignant solos and sorrowful choruses.
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August 31, 18:00
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Germany
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Kölner Philharmonie, Cologne Requiem – H.I.F. Biber +
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber is best known as the unequaled violin virtuoso of his time and as Mozart’s predecessor at the archbishop’s court in Salzburg. There, during his employment as Kapellmeister, Biber wrote a Requiem not less impressive in its expressive qualities than Mozart’s, with poignant solos and sorrowful choruses.
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