Last night we went to an outstanding concert by the J. S. Bach Foundation based in St Gallen, conducted by Rudolf Lutz. The concert was held in the Evangelical Reformed Church which architecturally is vastly different from all other churches we have visited so far. For example, the front of the church has two main… Read More The period orchestra
Today was overcast, cold and windy, and what better way to spend the time but indoors in a musical instrument museum? On the bus yesterday, the historian who gave us the commentary about the town of Freiberg and Gottfried Silbermann was in fact on the staff of the music instrument museum here in Leipzig. Carl… Read More Unusual musical instruments
Today we took a BachFest-sponsored bus tour to the city of Freiberg, about an hour-and-a-half away. You can see in the picture above that even our bus had Bach on it! The reason we came to Freiberg is that there are several historic organs by Gottfried Silbermann, a Baroque master organ builder. Our first stop… Read More Spectacular Silbermann organs
Everywhere you look in Leipzig, you will see a familiar image, and it kind of reminds me of that old refrain, With a Bach Bach here, and a Bach Bach there, here a Bach, there a Bach, everywhere a Bach Bach …. Today I thought I would share some of my photos so you know… Read More How many places?
We didn’t buy tickets for any concerts today and instead decided to visit the city of Mühlhausen, where Bach was organist for only nine months, from 1708-1709. The position was already vacant for six months and it seems the 22 year old Bach was not their first choice, because of his lack of experience. It… Read More A day in Mühlhausen
We decided to go back to the Nikolaikirche for Sunday service based on the music list: Cantata 76 and Motet 6. Also Carl had left all of the umbrellas we just purchased in a bag under his seat, and we wanted to find out if the bag was still there. Unfortunately it wasn’t. Today’s service… Read More Sunday in Leipzig
At last night’s concert at the Nicolaikirche, one of Bach’s church jobs here in Leipzig, our son Stephen decided that their pews were so uncomfortable that they must have been a device for medieval torture! Seriously, they were selling (and we bought) Bachfest logo-imprinted pew cushions at the St. Matthew, but we forgot them in… Read More Dorothee Mields at Nikolaikirche
I guess it was inevitable that we would run into some of our colleagues from the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians in Leipzig. Today we attended the Motetten at St. Thomas, which was performed by the Valparaiso University Chorus under the direction of Christopher Cock,whom we met last year when we attended the Bach Collegium… Read More Americans in Leipzig
What would Bach do? That was my reaction to last night’s concert—the Bach Collegium Japan’s performance of the St. Matthew Passion. Even though I’m afraid I was left with more questions than answers, this performance was certainly memorable. The fact is that here we were, nearly 300 years after the date of the work’s composition,… Read More A surprising performance
We are here! After an 8 hour flight to Chicago, a 6 hour layover, an 8 hour flight to Frankfurt, and a 4 hour train ride to Leipzig, we are settled into our hotel. We are feeling human again thanks to a hot shower, good night’s sleep and a hearty German breakfast. This morning we… Read More Arrival in Leipzig