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Leipzig, Altes Rathaus, wood engraving from 'The Illustrated London News', 1866
Leipzig Bach Festival - Music by the Bach family and their Baroque contemporaries
Tour highlights
- Artists from around the world including some of the leading specialists in Bach and the Baroque: The Constellation Choir & Orchestra, Vox Luminis, and Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir led by Ton Koopman (11 June departure); The Constellation Choir & Orchestra, Thomanerchor Leipzig, Ton Koopman, Mahan Esfahani and Il Pomo d’Oro (16 June departure).
- Concert venues include the Thomaskirche and Nikolaikirche, the churches where J.S. Bach was director of music.
- Centrally-located hotel within easy walking distance of the concerts and restaurants.
- Guided walks to explore the architecture and musical heritage of this historic and lively city.
Over 80 members of the Bach family are listed in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. For two centuries the Bachs, Johann Sebastian among them, plied their trade in the employ of courts, churches and free cities in Thuringia and Saxony. Though geographically in the heart of Germany, these places were not among the major political or cultural centres of Europe. And their location on the other side of the Iron Curtain in the later 20th century enveloped them further in obscurity.
There was no star system in the Bachs’ time; genius was an alien concept. The tradition the family worked in was one of sheer dogged professionalism, with ability generally recognised and rewarded. Really exceptional once-in-a-century talent was beyond the comprehension of the city burgers, however; Johann Sebastian was the third choice for the post of Cantor at St Thomas’s Church in Leipzig, and for the remainder of his life he was constantly chafing against the indifference and high-handedness of his employers.
The Bachfest Leipzig has become established as one of the major items in the calendar of European festivals. The venues most used are the parish church of St Thomas (the Thomaskirche), which was Bach’s principal auditorium during the 27 years when he was effectively the city’s director of music, and the Nikolaikirche, another church for which he had responsibility. There are concerts also in the University Church, the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), and in the Evangelical Reformed Church.
Leipzig is now, again, a handsome and lively city, following an almost miraculous transformation during the 1990s and beyond. Cleaning, restoration and rebuilding went hand in hand with the emergence of cafés, smart shops and good restaurants. Located at the heart of this ancient trading city is the large market place and the renaissance Town Hall, and around is a beguiling network of alleys, courtyards and arcades.
Guided walks investigate this heritage and the musical history of the city, which encompasses not only the Bach family but also Telemann, Robert and Clara Schumann, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Mahler and Kurt Masur. There is time also to enjoy the excellent museums – the Fine Arts Museum in spectacular new premises, the radically refurbished Museum of Musical Instruments, or the rejuvenated Bach Museum.
Practicalities
11 June departure: Two sharing: US$6,620 or US$6,200 without flights. Single occupancy: US$7,210 or US$6,790 without flights.
Supplement of US$300 per person for all four optional concerts OR supplement of US$140 per person for the two late-evening optional concerts only OR supplement of US$190 per person for the two afternoon optional concerts only.
16 June departure: Two sharing: US$6,050 or US$5,620 without flights. Single occupancy: US$6,570 or US$6,140 without flights.
Two optional evening concerts: supplement of US$160 per person.
11 June departure: top category tickets for twelve concerts; private coach for airport transfers; accommodation as described below; breakfasts, 5 dinners (with drinks); museum admissions; tips; taxes; lecturer, tour manager and local guide.
16 June departure: top category tickets for ten concerts; private coach for airport transfers; accommodation as described below; breakfasts, 4 dinners and 1 lunch (with drinks); museum admissions; tips; taxes; lecturer, tour manager and local guide.
Leipzig Marriott Hotel: conforming to its brand, the Marriott is a smart 4-star hotel with lots of marble, pillars, wood, brass and comfortable easy chairs. It is located on a pedestrian street just inside the north-eastern section of the ring road that runs around the city centre, and no more than 10–15 minutes on foot from the venues. Rooms are spacious, with cosy neoclassical furnishings and are equipped to a high standard. Single rooms are doubles for sole use.
11 June departure: option to attend two late-evening concerts, two afternoon concerts OR all four concerts. See 'prices, per person' for supplement.
16 June departure: two optional evening concerts. See 'prices, per person' for supplement.
Walking is the only practical way of getting around the largely pedestrianised centre of Leipzig. Most walks will be less than 20 minutes.
Between 10 and 22 participants.
Before booking, please refer to Travel.State.Gov to ensure you are happy with the travel advice for the destination(s) you are visiting. As a British company we follow the advice of the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
Testimonials
“Absolute perfection! This was the experience of a lifetime.
”
“Excellent does not convey what a fantastic immersive experience this was.
”
“The group was exceptionally privileged to have John Butt as lecturer. None could have been more knowledgeable and amiable. A most memorable experience for us.
”
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