Leipziger Choräle

The concert is the culmination of a master class with German Organ Professor and Bach specialist Wolfgang Zerer, Hamburg.

In his final years, Johann Sebastian Bach devoted much of his time to his musical legacy. Over a number of years, he collected and transcribed 18 organ chorales, primarily from his early years in Weimar, into a new manuscript, which we now call ‘18 Choräle’ or ‘Leipziger Choräle’. The collection is a testament to the organ chorale genre at its peak and contains several of the most famous, longer organ chorales from the master's hand, such as ‘Nun komm der heiden Heiland’ and ‘Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele’. When the 18 chorales are played in sequence, the listener is invited on a sonically varied journey through Europe – through studies of music collections and encounters with prominent musicians.

When the 18 chorales are played in sequence, the listener is invited on a sonically varied journey through Europe – through studies of music collections and encounters with prominent musicians, Bach had been influenced by both the great North German masters in the Hanseatic cities to the north and the Italian, South German and French virtuosos to the south.

Johann Sebastian Bach: ”18 Choräle”  

1. Fantasia super 'Komm, Heiliger Geist', BWV 651
Benas Aleksas Jonusas, orgel

2. Komm, Heiliger Geist, BWV 652  
Peter Møllerhøj, orgel

3. An Wasserflüssen Babylon, BWV 653  
Asbjørn Dalbjerg, orgel

4. Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654  
Caroline Ladewie Kristensen, orgel

5. Trio super 'Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend', BWV 655  
Mia Birch Engsager, orgel

6. O Lamm Gottes unschuldig, BWV 656  
Adam Foght-Sørensen, orgel

7. Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 657 
Kristina Avakian, orgel

8. Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BWV 658  
Nabil Hanna, orgel

9. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659  
Esben Højlund, orgel

10. Trio super 'Nun komm der Heiden Heiland', BWV 660 
Alexander Bak-Hansen, orgel

11. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 661  
Holger Borg Friis, orgel

12. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 662  
Daniel Niss Gralert, orgel

13. Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 663  
Ari Hammer Joensen, orgel

14. Trio super 'Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr', BWV 664 
Kristina Avakian, orgel

15. Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 665  
Kolya Ashkenazy, orgel

16. Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV 666  
Gustav Lasthein, orgel

17. Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, heiliger Geist, BWV 667  
Frederike Schilling, orgel

18. Vor deinen Thron tret' ich, BWV 668  
Huayue Su, orgel