No 183 Bach and Palestrina

An Homage on the 500 Anniversary of Palestrina’s birthday

M. Altenburg: Intrada XII »Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott« • G. P. da Palestrina: Missa »Ecce Sacerdos magnus« • J. S. Bach: Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV 38 • A. Ragazzi: Sonata X »Ecce sacerdos magnus« • J. S. Bach: Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80.3

Artists: Anja Pöche (soprano), Franz Vitzthum (altus), Tobias Hunger (tenor), Sönke Tams Freier (bass), Windsbacher Knabenchor, Lautten Compagney Berlin, direction: Ludwig Böhme

He is viewed as the last grand master of the Renaissance: the Roman kapellmeister Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, born 500 years ago, influenced several generations of musicians with his sophisticated polyphonic works. Some two hundred years after Palestrina, and despite their different confessions, Johann Sebastian Bach also carefully studied and performed his works. The Windsbach Boys’ Choir, conducted by Ludwig Böhme, and Lautten Compagney Berlin will be honouring these two giants so far removed from one another, yet so close, with the performance of a Palestrina mass arranged by Bach and the Reformation cantata »Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott«, the opening chorus of which is an exact replica of the old »Palestrina style«.