Bach Festival Leipzig 14 June - 23 June 2019 'Bach, Court Compositeur'




Bach, Court Compositeur

Bach's personal seal designed by him when appointed Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Court Composer

Why is the Bach Leipzig Festival important for Poland and the music of Fryderyk Chopin? 

Bach was the composer Chopin admired above all others save Mozart. He practised for days Das wohltemperierte Klavier before concerts of his own music rather than the pieces he would actually play. The important polyphonic strands and counterpoint within his own music were all derived from his adoration of J.S.Bach. Bach was always chosen during his teaching as indispensable to deeper musical understanding and meaning.

It is also instructive to remember other aspects of Bach's life were closely associated with Poland at the time. He always wished to be associated with court circles despite the small extent of some of these princely states. 

Bach was appointed Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Court Composer in 1736. The Elector Frederick Augustus II / Augustus III King of Poland was a great patron of the arts, a devout Catholic and music-lover. Bach dedicated the Kyrie and Gloria of the B minor Mass to him.
My reviews of concerts in the 2019 Leipzig Bach Festival are available at:

https://michael-moran.org/2019/06/16/bach-court-composer-bach-festival-leipzig-14-june-23-june-2019/



The actual document appointing Bach as Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Court Composer in 1736 signed by King Augustus III and his Prime Minister Count Heinrich von Brühl. 
It is exhibited in the fascinating temporary exhibition of documents, engravings, recordings and Bach autographs in the Bach Museum entitled  
'Bach, Court Compositeur' 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Elisey Mysin recital - XVII International Piano Forum - Bieszczady Without Borders - Sanok, Poland

Image
Astounding musical experiences a lways happen i n Poland! Has been happening to me for as I long as I began visiting the country to work in 1992. The astonishing recital by the child prodigy  Elisey Mysin   I watched online last night prompted me to write this review immediately. It was broadcast from the International Piano Forum, a Polish musical event now in its seventeenth year. The Forum (lectures and concerts) is held in the town of Sanok (the 'capital' of the remote Bieszczady Region). I knew or know nothing about this remarkable Forum until last night.  The concert was  'In Memoriam Tatiana Shebanova',  that magnificent Russian pianist who died so tragically of leukemia in 2011 whilst at her pianistic peak. The concert was organized by her husband, the Chairman of the Piano Forum Council, Prof.  Jaros ław  Drzewiecki.    Tatiana Shebanova was one of the first pianists I heard play works by Fryderyk Chopin (1810-18...
Read more

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995) and his Ferraris - not only an immortal Chopinist

Image
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (1920-1995)   There is little need for me to introduce Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, one of the greatest pianists and musicians of all time.  I have been listening to a remarkable live recording of a concert he gave in Warsaw in 1955. His Bach/Busoni Chaconne from the Partita in D minor No.2 BWV 1004 is surely one of the greatest ever recorded.   Michelangeli's    knowledge and command of the piano as an instrument was unequaled, permitting his soul and ours to take unhindered flight. His total identification with the music, his majestic 'Olympian' and 'Apollonian' playing has often been described as 'unearthly' even to the point of bordering on the cold classicism of a perfect Athenian statue. I once heard him play Debussy and Beethoven many years ago  in the Royal Festival Hall in London, performing  on two distinct Steinway concert grand pianos, one for each composer, individually tuned and prepared by himself. His hea...
Read more

73rd. International Chopin Piano Festival 3-11 August 2018, Duszniki Zdroj, Poland

Image
The Chopin Bench in Havana, Cuba The  Dworek Chopina  where the piano recitals take place Full English details of the programmes, biographies of Artists and Professors as well as Masterclasses are available using this link: http://festival.pl/wp-content/uploads/73-MFCh_2018_EN.pdf From the Reviewer's Notebook  SATURDAY, AUGUST 11 CHOPIN'S MANOR 8.00 PM Piano Recital SERGEI BABAYAN This distinguished musician and pianist requires little introduction. He has appeared at the most famous international music festivals with all the great orchestras of the world under the most renowned conductors, at the finest music venues as well as having been awarded most of the glittering prizes. For me his most outstanding claim to fame is his close relationship with the composer and pianist Daniil Trifonov as teacher, guide, philosopher and friend. I was unfortunately unable to attend this recital and recordings of it are unavailable. ...
Read more