The RCO’s annual “Kerstmatinee” (Christmas Matinee) has become a much loved holiday tradition. For this edition, the orchestra, led by Philippe Herreweghe, performs J.S. Bach’s Mass in B minor, one of the gems of his oeuvre – for the first time in 45 years! The choir Collegium Vocale Gent shares the stage with outstanding soloists Dorothee Mields, Hana Blažikova, Alex Potter, Robin Tritschler and Krešimir Stražanac. Often referred to as Bach’s “Hohe Messe” (High Mass), the full-scale Catholic mass was given this name in the 19th century to distinguish it from the Baroque composer’s other, small masses. Why the Lutheran Bach decided to create a Catholic mass late in life, remains unclear; what is evident, however, is that his work is nothing less than a monumental masterpiece. Herreweghe’s Mass is “grand and yet moving!” (Het Parool)
Christmas Oratorio (Weihnachtsoratorium)
Written for the Thomanerchor Leipzig and premiered under the direction of the Thomaskantor himself, the six cantatas of the Christmas Oratorio have been an integral part of the choir’s calendar ever since. In 2018, under the direction of Bach‘s 17th successor Gotthold Schwarz, the Thomanerchor and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig continued this tradition with an outstanding ensemble of soloists.
W. F. Bach – Rediscovered Cantatas
2010 marked the 300th anniversary of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710 – 1784), the eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. While rather unknown today, Wilhelm Friedemann was one of the most outstanding headstrong composers of his time. However, after World War Two, many of his works went missing and, amazingly, were found again by the renowned Bach researcher Christoph Wolff (Harvard) in Kiev (Ukraine) in 1999. For the musical world, the rediscovery of these musically and technically highly sophisticated compositions was a sensation. The international TV audience will have the unique opportunity to take part in the world premiere of these four beautiful cantatas, performed in the impressive Augustiner-Church in Mainz. Cantatas: ‘Ach, dass du den Himmel zerrissest’, ‘Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen’, ‘Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchtet’, ’O Wunder, wer kann dieses fassen’.