Introduction to the cycle Bach’s Messiah

»Bach’s Messiah« – at first glance the title looks like a typographical error, because the »Messiah« is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. Yet throughout his life, Johann Sebastian Bach too illustrated episodes from the life of Jesus of Nazareth repeatedly in music. In his cantatas, oratorios and passions, he created magnificent musical images of the annunciation of Christ’s birth, the Christmas story, the numerous parables and miracles of Jesus and, lastly, his Passion, resurrection and ascension. In other words, Bach worked his whole life long on a musical story of the life and work of the Redeemer. In short, on a »Messiah«.

For the 2021 Bachfest, artistic director Michael Maul has put together a »Messiah«, a cycle of twelve concerts that can will be streamed on five consecutive days. It comprises 33 selected cantatas, the St. Matthew Passion and the Christmas, Easter and Ascension oratorios. With this idea, he is continuing the Ring of Cantatas concept presented at the 2018 Bachfest, but extending it in numerous respects. Readings from the Gospels underlying the cantatas, in Luther’s translation (written 500 years ago at Wartburg Castle) and performed by Ulrich Noethen, provide the narrative of the action and set the cantatas in their biblical context.

While working on Bach’s Messiah, Michael Maul used the biography of Jesus by Pope Benedict XVI as a guide both for content and ideas. It is a wonderful gift that the pope emeritus blessed our grand project with a foreword that pays moving tribute to the timeless value of Bach’s music, which transcends confessional boundaries.

Another blessing concerns our participating artists. With Ton Koopman, Masaaki Suzuki, Hans-Christoph Rademann and Thomaskantor Gotthold Schwarz, virtually all the protagonists of the Ring of Cantatas have agreed to be part of this new project. In addition, with Václav Luks and his Collegium 1704, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin under the baton of Justin Doyle, as well as the Lautten Compagney led by Wolfgang Katschner, further heavyweights of Bach interpretation will be performing the cycle – and in so doing, taking us on a many-layered voyage of discovery to the heart of Bach’s church music. Because the force and influence of its unique message cannot fail to affect every one of us!

About the painting

Michael Triegel
Kreuzigung, 2001 (Ausschnitt)
Acryl und Öl auf Leinwand, 220 x 120 cm
Museum am Dom, Würzburg
Bildnachweis: Galerie Schwind, Leipzig
Bildrecht: VG-Bildkunst, Bonn 2020

 

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