Bach Society Houston

"The magnificent baroque city of Dresden was one of the most visited destinations for musical travelers. The Saxon rulers collected not only acclaimed musicians, but also fabulous objects of art and science." As David Yearsley implied in the progam notes to his recent organ recital, the Saxon court loved musical splendor and assembled musical ensembles of the finest players of the time.

The final Chamber Music concert of the season will be a further example of this—not just in the virtuosity expected of the violin soloist, but in the luxurious continuo group assembled to play with him. You may not have heard of many of the composers on the program, but it will be a concert worthy to be heard by Dresden royalty, and a fitting end to our season. Violinist Yung-Hsiang Wang is joined by Matthew Dirst, harpsichord; Richard Savino, harpsichord; and Barrett Sills, violoncello. Tickets are available online or at the door. Seating is limited, and advance purcahse is recommended.

See the full program and information on the performers on the event page.

The geographical boundaries of Johann Sebastian Bach’s life are surprisingly limited: a corner of northeastern Germany no larger than southeastern Texas from Beaumont to Austin. How could he compose music so international in scope?

Bach was drawn to the major cities of his world from an early age. He first visited Hamburg as a young teenager, seeking out an organist he admired. Later his own career as a renowned keyboard virtuoso would take him back there, as well as to Dresden and Berlin, where his final appearance was before Frederick the Great. These trips also afforded Bach the opportunity to attend concert and opera performances, bringing him in contact with an international cadre of performers and composers. From his position in Leipzig, Bach maintained close friendships with his colleagues; there was mutual exchange of performing scores, correspondence, and visits, serving as local sales agent for each other's works, and even serving as godparent for each other's children. These relationships enabled Bach to collect and study the works of other composers, learning not only from older masters, but from his own contemporaries.

The Bach Society’s new season follows Bach to four cities--Leipzig, Berlin, Hamburg and Dresden. Our concerts will trace his musical relationships, present works by composers who were important in the development of each city's musical culture, and look at how Bach's influence left a legacy into the following centuries.

A thirtieth birthday is a major milestone! By the age of thirty, Johann Sebastian Bach was a renowned keyboard virtuoso and held the enviable position of Concertmeister at the Weimar court. He was an accomplished and productive musician, yet many of his finest and most important works were yet to be written.

As the Bach Society celebrates its thirtieth anniversary this season, we are thankful for our strong tradition and proud of our artistic accomplishments; yet we are looking to the future with renewed energy and a fresh perspective. Our name has changed to Bach Society Houston, as we enhance our visibility in the community, continue to build a national profile, and accentuate the universal nature of our programs. We have a new logo, a new website with richer content, and increased presence on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Yet the core of what we do remains intact: we remain deeply rooted at Christ the King Lutheran Church, we are firmly committed to our mission of presenting Bach’s music in all its diversity to the Houston community and beyond, and we believe that the most important chapters in our history have yet to be written.

Our new season offers many musical delights. Five Bach Vespers explore Bach’s sacred cantatas and the choral works of other baroque masters. The Abendmusik Concerts are especially opulent, featuring a truly international array of composers and performers. Chamber Music concerts and Organ Recitals round out the season with an impressive roster of artists. We are also excited to offer a new program called Illuminations, a lecture and discussion series preceding each of the Bach Vespers and Abendmusik Concerts. The series opens with a guest lecture by the eminent Bach scholar Christoph Wolff.

With the new season, we will begin selling tickets to the annual Passion presentations and the Chamber Music concerts, enabling our patrons to be assured of a seat at these popular events. Tickets will be reasonably priced and available online and at the door. Bach Vespers, Organ Recitals, and the other Abendmusik Concerts will continue without admission charge. We continue to rely on the generous support of private donors and foundations to make our programs available to all. You can help by making a contribution using the online form available on our website.

We hope you will join us often this season to help us celebrate our thirtieth anniversary.