London Bach Society's 28th Bachfest 2018

This recital of Bach's masterpiece is on the Festival's opening day and is one of the series to celebrate Steinitz Bach Players 50th anniversary. Here we present the principal players as a chamber ensemble.

The programme reflects the theme of the Festival 'Out of conflict...the peace'. Bach's historic visit to Frederick the Great at Potsdam in 1747 was probably planned to take place much earlier, but was discouraged while the Prussian King was in war mode. Bach's city of Leipzig was occupied by Frederick's troops over Christmas 1745, so the City Fathers who were also Bach's employers, would have frowned upon such a prominent citizen travelling to Potsdam in the threatening atmosphere prevailing. By May 1747, the time seemed ripe for Bach to make a very significant journey to the King's Court. As a diplomatic gesture and envoy of peace, he was warmly received by the King, eager to meet the revered composer. As a consequence of the visit Bach composed The Musical Offering, a work of enormous beauty, shape, colour and harmony, the story of which we shall tell on opening night in Handel's Parish Church.