J.S. Bach and the North German composers

More than a musical style, the North German school of the 17th century was a cultural phenomenon in which the organ not only sounded, but also enjoyed an extraordinary status. These were the heydays of urban pride, and cities such as Lübeck and Hamburg vied to have the largest and most impressive organ. These majestic organs inspired virtuoso feats and produced composers with an unparalleled reputation that extended far beyond the city limits. With J.P. Sweelinck as their forefather and D. Buxtehude as their radiant center, the North German composers formed an elite class within the music world. Their music was demanding, but their organs were tailored to it: multiple keyboards, extensive registers and a powerful pedal. In the stylus phantasticus, organ and organist challenged each other in a dynamic interplay of strict, contrapuntal movements and free, improvisatory passages. This ultimate combination of mastery and daring created a world of sound in which technique, improvisation and devotion merged into an unprecedented listening experience.

This summer, the Contius Bach Festival travels through this world – not only with the organ, but also with vocal and instrumental music. We follow the young Bach to Lübeck and Hamburg, where D. Buxtehude and J.A. Reincken initiate him into the North German tradition. But the journey also takes us further back: to Amsterdam, where J.P. Sweelinck sows the seed for this holy trinity of organ, composer and composition. His influence winds like a silver thread through generations of North German composers, until Bach picks it up and, as the master of his own musical universe, then goes his own way.

 

Programma

Thursday July 3rd
Hildebrandt Consort & Wouter Dekoninck | Cantatas by Buxtehude, Bruhns and Bach

Friday July 4th
Kimberly Marshall, organ

Saturday July 5th
Francesca Ajossa, organ & Wim Winters, organ

Sunday July 6th
Peace Mass

Monday July 7th
Organists Academy session 1

Tuesday July 8th
Symposium

Tuesday July 8th
Benjamin Steens, organ & Léon Berben, organ

Thursday July 10th
Singers and musicians from the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, dir. Philippe Pierlot & Bernard Foccroulle, organ | Bach Cantatas

Friday July 11th
Organists Academy session 2

Saturday July 12th
Jeremy Joseph, organ & Maud Gratton, organ