Music in the Castle of Heaven

2023 brings us an opportunity to celebrate one of the greatest events in musical history, J.S. Bach’s appointment as Thomaskantor in Leipzig. As a result, a new era in music history began. For the next 27 years, the requirements of his appointment combined with his deep faith and desire to encourage faith in all others, inspired Bach to produce music of such staggering beauty, complexity and profundity that changed the course of music forever. These works, particularly the cantatas, are still performed and idolised around the world today, demonstrated by the more than 300 Bach choirs and societies that exist worldwide. To celebrate this momentous event, we have chosen 3 of his most celebrated Leipzig cantatas and his jubilant motet ‘Singet dem Herrn’. How can the works of Bach ever be adequately summed up? We will leave it to our international patron Sir John Eliot Gardiner ’But it is Bach, making music in the Castle of Heaven, who gives us the voice of God – in human form. He is the one who blazes a trail, showing us how to overcome our imperfections through the perfections of his music: to make divine things human and human things divine.’

• Program

  J.S. Bach

  Chorale Prelude 'In Dulci Jublio' BWV 729

  J.S. Bach

  Cantata 'Unser mund sei voll Lachens' BWV 110

  J.S. Bach

  Motet 'Singtet dem Herrn' BWV 225

  J.S. Bach

  Cantata 'Jesu, der du meine Seele' BWV 78

  J.S. Bach

  'Wachet auf' BWV 140

• Artists

  Madeleine Easton

  Director/Violin

  Simone Slattery

  Violin

  R. Font

  Violin

  TBC

  Violin

  James Armstrong

  Violin

  John Ma

  Viola

  Anton Baba

  Cello

  Pippa McMillan

  Double Bass

  Mikaela Oberg

  Recorder

  M. Sever

  Harpsichord

  TBC

  Organ

  Tommie Andersson

  Lute

  Adam Masters

  Oboe 1

  Kailen Cresp

  Oboe 2

  Simon Wolnizer

  Corno 1

  Michael Dixon

  Corno 2

  Susannah Lawergren

  Soprano

  Brianna Louwen

  Soprano

  Hannah Fraser

  Alto

  Michael Burden

  Alto

  Richard Butler

  Tenor

  Andrei Laptev

  Tenor

  Koen Van Stade

  Bass

  Jack Stephens

  Bass