CANCELLED: Symphoniker Hamburg / Europa Chor Akademie Görlitz / Joshard Daus

Punning on the meaning of his predecessor’s name, Beethoven said of Bach, »He should be called sea, not brook.« Johann Sebastian Bach worked as Cantor of St Thomas’ Church from 1723 until his death, in a role that kept him extremely busy. Not only did he have to teach a large number of schoolchildren, he was also responsible for the music in the four churches and for all other city festivities – quite apart from the fact that he was the father of several children. Almost like an assembly-line worker, he constantly churned out new works for the various occasions: »Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!« was a cantata composed for the birthday of the Electress of Saxony; the motet »Jesu, meine Freude« was composed for the funeral of the widow of the Leipzig postmaster; and the church cantata »Gloria in Excelsis Deo« was written for Christmas Day. Each individual composition is an artfully formed masterpiece in and of itself – so much so that Mozart went into raptures when he heard the motet »Singet dem Herrn« during his visit to Leipzig: »Now here is something one can learn from!«.