Author: Margaret Steinitz

Saturday 8 October 2022 from 6.00pm

Given by Pawel Siwczak harpsichord, presented by London Bach Society and hosted by Richard Jones, LBC Council Chairman. Here is the programme:

“Bach vs Bach” in the series “Bach at Langstone“

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714 – 1788)
                Presto in C minor (H. 66/VI)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1695 – 1750)
                Ricercar a 3 from Musical Offering BWV 1079
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
                12 Variations on “Folie d’Espagne” (Wq. 118/9, H. 263)
                Prussian Sonata No. 2 in B-flat major (Wq. 48/2, H. 25)
  Vivace – Adagio –  Allegro assai
Johann Sebastian Bach
Overture in the French style in B minor BWV 831
Ouverture – Courante – Gavotte I, II – Passepied I, II – Sarabande – Bourree I, II – Gigue Echo
Pawel writes “It’s a nice juxtaposition of father and son, inspired by James Gaines’ book “An Evening in the Palace of Reason”, especially starting with that Ricercar that was a test for JS Bach, most likely devised by his son. And I adore the French Ouverture.
Also I would like to record it later this year, so it would be great to play it.”

Tickets £55 to include reception, recital and two course supper with wine. To book go to http://www.langstone-court.org.uk

LBS is a patron of this year’s series “BACH-We are Family”, supporting Mahan Esfahani and Pieter Wispelwey’s recitals. Postponed from 2020, but now neatly forming part of the London Bach Society’s 75th Anniversary, these recitals are being performed by two powerful Bach interpreters in venues at the heart of Bach’s city.

To access Festival website click here

Image of Mahan Esfahani Click here

Image of Pieter Wispelwey Click here

Like millions of Brits, we offer our sincerest thanks and congratulations to Her Majesty The Queen on her Platinum Jubilee – 70 glorious, innovatory and challenging years. Not without frustrations and difficulties but with an unflinching adherence to duty. What an example!

Have fun everyone as we raise a glass to all our own supporters and offer our own thanks for what we have been able to do. I am off to Leipzig in mid-June to represent us on the world Bach platform as a Patron of the Leipzig Bachfest 2022 “Bach-We are Family”. Click here

In the period 5-8 April 1750, Bach underwent a 2nd eye operation delivered by London eye surgeon Dr John Taylor. It must have been agony and an experience from which Bach never recovered – a stroke followed three months later and our beloved JSB passed away on 28 July that same year. One of the greatest Chorale Preludes is “Vor deinen Thron trett’ ich hiermit” (Now I stand before thy throne) BWV 668 (Leipzig Chorale Preludes, the great ’18’), sometimes referred to as the ‘death-bed’ chorale with the story being that Bach dictated this on his death-bed a few days before he died. This is doubted, but somehow it conjures up a lovely image doesn’t it?

Bach’s music is performed using a variety of musical forces as well as the original ones. It is well known that Paul Steinitz advocated performing Bach using musical forces with which the composer would have been familiar – implementing period style using period instruments and reduced choral forces – the latter for attention at his death and which he did not complete, sadly. This satisfied a huge musical curiosity as to how it originally sounded. Nowadays, the horizon has been broadened and Bach’s music is played on an ever-widening variety of instruments from marimba to saxophone to anything you care to name, as well as by specialising chamber ensembles.

Click here to listen to “Vor deinen Thron trett’ ich hiermit” beautifully played by the Danish String Quartet joined by a youth choir. Take a moment…

A new Chapter begins.….

Click here to read the Spring 2022 edition of Bach Notes

The following pages have been updated. Why not take a moment to view

Click here to access LBS History

Click here to access Steinitz Bach Players, Rautio Piano Trio and film links

Click here to visit the LBS Books page.

Updated 7 March 2022

BACHCHATS online

The date of the next BachChat date is coming soon This will be the first BachChat gathering of a concert season that will complete and continue our 75th anniversary celebrations not possible last autumn..

If you would like to participate, then email us at lbs@lonbachsoc.co.uk . The Zoom link for you to attend will be sent to you just ahead of the date.

We thank all our Bach Friends, donors and supporters for maintaining their support during this challenging period. We thank them for the messages received and the encouragement that accompanies them.

Bach Friends

Our ability to fulfill our charitable purpose depends on the receipt of donations from Bach Friends, individuals and through grants from private and public authorities. So if you would like to support us, please get in touch and donate via Bach Friends link below (or above right)

If you would like to add your name and keep in touch, then email lbs@lonbachsoc.co.uk to give your consent or accept our invitation to join Bach Friends

Please note our new email address:

lbs@lonbachsoc.co.uk

With best wishes

Margaret Steinitz, Artistic Director 

Updated 7 February 2022

Updated 8 March 2022

The latest e-Bach Notes. Click here to access.

A new edition of Bach Notes online is in preparation and e-Bach Notes will be emailed via Mail Chimp shortly. Publication date: 10 March 2022

Here is the pre-pandemic edition of Bach Notes Click here to access.

Email: lbs@lonbachsoc.co.uk to receive your copy.

Click here to access past editions.

Historical Articles have been uploaded on to the Bachfest, Events etc page.

To access click here. Articles include

Throwback Bachfest 2018 The Thirty Years War : Europe’s Coronavirus? 1618-1648

Throwback Bachfest 2019 Historical Papers marking “Victoria & Albert’s 200th”

Bachfest Online theme: Bach: Family and Friends

Updated 5 October 2021