Bach Collegium Japan announces the lineup for the 2024-2025 season!

The Bach Collegium Japan is pleased to announce the lineup for the 2024-2025 season!

In addition to the six subscription concerts, the 2024-2025 season will mark the 300th anniversary of Bach’s choral cantatas with the “The 300th Anniversary Project of Choral Cantatas”.

New members will be accepted from November 3 (Fri).

Details will be announced at a later date.

◆About The 300th Anniversary Project of Choral Cantatas

 Bach moved to Leipzig in 1723, and from May of the following year, 1724, to the end of March of the following year, he composed exactly 40 special cantatas called “choral cantata”. Choral are hymns sung by the congregation in chorus, and although church cantatas are more or less related to choral, the cantatas of this year are called by this name because they had a special structure.
 In fact, 40 choral cantatas were written in 1724 because that year fell exactly 200 years after 1524, when the religious reformer Martin Luther, in collaboration with many musicians, published several hymnals for the congregation to sing, It was recognized as the “year of the establishment of hymns. So this must have been a celebration of the bicentennial of the establishment of the hymnal. Now, 300 years later, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Luther’s hymnody and the 300th anniversary of Bach’s choral cantatas, we, the Bach Collegium Japan, would like to perform 40 choral cantatas during the two years from 2024 to 2025.

──Music Director Masaaki Suzuki


◆About the subscription concerts

 Each year, the BCJ’s new season begins with Good Friday and Holy Saturday of the 2024-25 season, the last week of March, and will be conducted by Principal Conductor Masato Suzuki, who performed the “Matthew Passion” to great acclaim in the Netherlands in 2023. In addition, Benjamin Bruns, who served as Evangelist for the 2019 re-recording (which won a Gramophone Award), will appear on the BCJ’s “Matthew Passion” stage for the first time.

 May’s Church Cantata Series (vol. 85) commemorates the 500th anniversary of Luther’s hymnody and the 300th anniversary of Bach’s choral cantatas, and is the first in a series of “choral cantata projects” to be launched with a two-year dry run. Please pay attention!


 In July, the first of the “B to B” series of composer genealogies will trace the path from Buxtehude to Bach. Buxtehude was the organist at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lübeck, which is highly acclaimed for its excellent instruments, and there is an anecdote that Bach was deeply fascinated when he heard him play the organ. He composed not only organ music but also many religious works for Protestant churches. This concert will feature “Membra Jesu nostri” and Bach’s cantata, and will offer a genealogy of religious music from the 17th to the 18th century.


 The September concert will feature Bach’s “Messe in h-moll” which was performed to great acclaim by packed audiences in Paris and Madrid during the 2022 European tour. In 2023, the BCJ was the first non-Western European group to perform the finale of the prestigious Bach Fest, performing the same piece at St. Thomas’ Church to great acclaim. This is the triumphant return of Masaaki Suzuki and the BCJ.

  In October, the second installment of the “B to B” series will follow the path from Bach to Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy was deeply fascinated by Bach, so much so that he converted to Lutheranism and revived the “Matthew Passion”. We will perform his masterpiece of symphonic works with chorus, Symphony No. 2 ” Lobgesang”, together with J. S. Bach’s Cantata No. 80 (arranged by W. F. Bach), and enjoy the musical journey leading to the Romantic period.

 In March 2025, the fifth performance of the Choral Cantata Project (Church Cantata Series vol. 89) will feature four chorale cantatas composed in 1724. The 2024-25 season will conclude with Cantata No. 3, ” Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid”.

We hope you will all look forward to Bach Collegium Japan in 2024, as we continue to move forward with new challenges!

6月ライプツィヒ・バッハ音楽祭 テレビ放映のお知らせ

(2023.06.18 ライプツィヒ・バッハ音楽祭 クロージング公演)

2023年6月18日、日本人団体として初となるライプツィヒ・バッハ音楽祭のクロージング公演を務めた鈴木雅明とバッハ・コレギウム・ジャパン。

ドイツ・聖トーマス教会で行われた当公演の様子が、BSで放送決定!

バッハ・コレギウム・ジャパンの誇る《ミサ曲 ロ短調》をお見逃しなく。

放送日時:
 9月24日(日)午後11時20分~

more info


 § 曲目 §

 J. S. バッハ:《ミサ曲 ロ短調》BWV 232
 J. S. Bach:Messe in h-moll, BWV 232

 § 出演 §
 指揮:鈴木雅明
 ソプラノⅠ:ハナ・ブラシコヴァ
 ソプラノⅡ:松井亜希
 アルト:ベンノ・シャハトナー
 テノール:櫻田 亮
 バス:ドミニク・ヴェルナー
 合唱・管弦楽:バッハ・コレギウム・ジャパン

BCJ USツアー2023のお知らせ

(2022.11 EUツアー デュッセルドルフ・トーンハレ 超満員のホール)

来たる2023年2月。

昨年のヨーロッパグランドツアーに引き続き、指揮・鈴木雅明率いるBCJメンバーたちが、アメリカ・カナダで古楽の音色を響かせます。

ソリストにバス歌手のロデリック・ウィリアムズを加えた、総勢8名の弦楽器・管楽器奏者たちの活躍を、どうぞお楽しみに。

more info

 § 曲目 §

 J. S. Bach, Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067
 J. G. Janitsch, Sonata da Camera in G Minor, “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden”
 G. P. Teleman, “Der am Ölberg zagende Jesu” TWV 367
 G. P. Teleman, Paris Quartet No. 1 in D Major, TWV 43/D2
 J. S. Bach, “Ich habe genug”, BWV 82

 J. S. バッハ 管弦楽組曲 第2番 ロ短調 BWV 1067
 J. G. ヤーニチュ 室内ソナタ ト短調 《おお、血と涙にまみれた御頭よ》
 G. P. テレマン 《オリーブ山でイエスはおののき》 TWV 367
 G. P. テレマン パリ四重奏曲 第1番 ニ長調 TWV 43/D2
 J. S. バッハ 《私は、満ち足りた》 BWV 82

 

 § 公演都市(2か国・7都市)§
 2月1日(水)
 Sprague Memorial Hall at Yale(ニューヘイブン/アメリカ)

 2月3日(金)
 Atonement Lutheran Church(カンザスシティ/アメリカ)

 2月5日(日)
 Koerner Hall(トロント/カナダ)

 2月7日(火)2月8日(水)
 Ordway Concert Hall(セントポール/アメリカ)

 2月10日(金)
 St. Paul Church(ボストン/アメリカ)

 2月11日(土)
 Library of Congress(ワシントンD.C./アメリカ)

 2月12日(日)
 Kaufmann Concert Hall(ニューヨーク/アメリカ)

 § 出演 §
 指揮:鈴木雅明 
 バス:ロデリック・ウィリアムズ
 ヴァイオリン:寺神戸 亮
 管弦楽:バッハ・コレギウム・ジャパン

The Season 2023-24 Subscription Concerts has been announced!

Bach Collegium Japan is now accepting new subscription members and Society/Friends members for the season 2023-2024.

Please click here to apply for each membership.

The season will open with the “Matthew Passion,” a must-hear work on Lent. This year, we invite the Tokyo Boys and Girls Choir as soprano in Lipieno. Please look forward to a different sound of Matthew Passion from that of last year.

Two of the six performances are programs that appreciate Bach’s masterpiece of church cantatas.
In July, commemorating exactly the 300th anniversary of Bach’s appointment as Thomas Kantor in Leipzig, BCJ will focus mainly on cantatas from the period of his appointment, including Cantata No. 147, well known for the famous chorale, “Jesus bleibet meine Freude”. The countertenor soloist, Alexander Chance, who has also received great acclaim at the Europe Grand Tour 2022, will be invited for the first time for the subscription concert.

In November, we will present a program of gorgeous cantatas in anticipation of Christmas and the New Year. In particular, Cantata No. 190 “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied”, restored by Masato Suzuki, will be performed for the first time in many years, and the three trumpets and timpani will add to the color and splendor of Bach’s music.

In May, Carolyn Sampson and Marianne Beate Kielland will be invited to perform Händel’s oratorio masterpiece “Resurrection” for the first time.

The September concert will feature Schubert’s Mass, a masterpiece of Romantic religious music. With the knowledge of Tomohei Hori, a leading Schubert scholar, BCJ will explore new musicality. Schubert with original instruments and transparent chorus will definitely be a special experience.

The final work of the 2023-24 season will be the “John Passion” (the Second Version in 1725). The Second Version differs in many respects from the widely performed the Fourth and Score Versions, making it a rare opportunity to hear it performed. Please do not miss this opportunity.

Bach Collegium Japan will continue to take on new musical challenges in the 2023-2012 season!

Bach Collegium Japan announces Europe Grand Tour 2022 since pandemic

We are delighted to return to Europe this autumn. Ever since our formation over 30 years ago, we have wanted to share JS Bach’s beautiful music with as many people as possible, from Japan to the wider world. We turned to recordings and online performances to do this in the last two years of the pandemic, and performed across Japan when possible. Returning to Europe is a greatly anticipated next step. We are so looking forward to seeing our European family again after such a long time, hopefully making some new friends, and sharing the joy of this wonderful music.

 <Program>
 (A) J. S. Bach
 Messe in h-moll, BWV232

 (B) J. S. Bach
 Orchestersuite Nr. 4, BWV1069
 Kirchenkantate, BWV94, 102, 110

 <Schedule (9 cities, 8 countries)>
 30th Oct (SUN) (B)
 Narodowe Forum Muzyki (Wrocław, Poland)

 1st Nov (TUE) (B)
 Kölner Philharmonie(Köln, Germany)

 2nd Nov (WED) (B)
 Wiener Konzerthaus (Wien, Austria)

 4th Nov (FRI) (A)
 Tonhalle Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, Germany)

 6th Nov (SUN) (B)
 Église St-François (Lausanne, Switzerland)

 7th Nov (MON) (A)
 Philharmonie de Paris (Paris, France)

 8th Nov (TUE) (B)
 De Singel (Antwerpen, Belgium)

 10th Nov (THU) (A)
 Auditorio Nacional deMúsica (Madrid, Spain)

 12th Nov (SAT) (A)
 Amare (Den Haag, Netherland)

 <Casts>
 Dir: Masaaki Suzuki
 Sopran: Joanne Lunn
 Sopran: Aki Matsui
 Countertenor: Alexander Chance
 Tenor: James Gilchrist
 Bass: Christian Immler
 Chorus & orchestra: Bach Collegium Japan

Support the New Recording of St John Passion by your donation

On March 15, 2020, Bach Collegium Japan performed J.S. Bach “St John Passion” from the empty Köln Philharmonie to the world. Instead of the abruptly discontinued tour, we created a new recording project at Cologne and made a session recording of the passion. We are aiming to release this CD (SACD hybrid) in September 2020 from the BIS label, Sweden. However, due to the COVID-19 related cancellations and postponement of concerts, our economic stability is severely damaged. To realize the release of “St John Passion (new recording)” recorded under such a miraculous situation and to support the continuation of our musical activity, your support is inevitable.

Donation amount
Please set your designated amount from 1 yen.

Duration
Until September 1, 2020.

Gratitude
If you donate more than 50,000 JPY by May 27, 2020, your name will be printed in the CD booklet unless you would like anonymous.

How to Donate
By Bank Transfer to Japan (preferable)

1. SUMITOMO MITSUI BANKING CORPORATION

BankSumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
SWIFTSMBCJPJT
BranchShinjuku-Nishiguchi Branch (Code: 259)
Branch Address1-7-1, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023, Japan
Account No.259-4384861
NameBach Collegium Japan Ltd.
Company Address5-29-7 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-0051, Japan

2. MUFG Bank, LTD.

BankMUFG Bank, LTD.
SWIFTBOTKJPJT
BranchShinjuku Shintoshin Branch (Code: 329)
Branch Address1-6-1, Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Account No.329-0322998
NameBach Collegium Japan Ltd.
Company Address5-29-7 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 151-0051, Japan

By Credit card/Check/DAFs:
American Friends of BCJ (501(c)(3) organization)
https://afbcj.org/donation/

By Paypal:
Bach Collegium Japan European Tour Support
https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8nok5FMrLN?fbclid=IwAR2ID6leWLQaJs2iFRkMSoHTPaq99JMvsdXlIneawrnhoA2exOqccp4gDL8

NB: Please inform us if you would like to make a donation anonymously.

Enquiry
Bach Collegium Japan Office
(13:00~16:00 JPT Tue., Wed. and Fri. )

Our office time is shortened due to the emergency state announcement in Japan.

Tel: +81-3-3226-5333            Fax: +81-3-5362-5445           info@bach.co.jp

《ミサ曲 ロ短調》公演 放映情報

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