Opening Concert

Photo: Gert Mothes

The title of the 2025 Bachfest is »Transformation«. What associations does that have for you in relation to Johann Sebastian Bach?

When I hear the word »transformation«, with regard to Bach I think first of all about his arrangements of Vivaldi for organ, written in Weimar. Bach was determined to transcribe these new orchestral pieces by Vivaldi for his favourite instrument, the organ, and in doing so he created virtually new, unique pieces. And that is absolutely typical of Bach: with him, there’s a perfect synthesis of transformation, innovation and brilliance.

For the first time at a Leipzig Bachfest, the B Minor Mass is featured not only at the closing concert, but also at the opening concert, although in the latter case in the early, Dresden version with just the Kyrie and Gloria. What is special about that version?

The Dresden parts, which Bach wrote in 1733 for the court orchestra there, have fascinated me ever since I attended a seminar by Joshua Rifkin when I was a student in Bern. In those parts, Bach noted far more information and details about performance practice than in the score, because they were intended for the individual musicians of the Dresden court orchestra who had never been conducted by Bach. That wealth of detail is crucial for any performance of the Missa.

FMany later composers, from Mozart and Liszt right through to jazz musicians, have also taken Bach’s music and transformed it. Do you like this kind of Bach arrangement, or do you prefer the originals?

I’m fundamentally the kind of person who prefers to play and hear the originals rather than arrangements. So I prefer a Bruckner symphony performed by a symphonic orchestra to an arrangement for organ. On the other hand, there are some very impressive arrangements, I’m thinking of Mozart’s version of Handel’s »Messiah«, for example, which he wrote in line with the taste of his time. At that time, people were much freer in the way they treated major works from the past. Today, you sometimes have the feeling that historical compositions are sacred and not to be touched. But when it comes down to it, every Bach performance by the 90 choristers of the Thomanerchor is a transformation, because at Bach’s time they worked with far smaller musical forces.