Concert information
At the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Info
Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos rank among the crowning achievements of the Baroque era. Richly expressive writing for strings and winds, virtuosic instrumental solos and rhythmic verve combine to form a cycle full of splendour and charm. Each concerto has its own distinctive scoring and character; together they reveal the remarkable stylistic range of the composer. Under the direction of Masato Suzuki, the legendary Bach Collegium Japan opens our Originalklang series with a performance of all six concertos in a single evening. Over the past decades, the ensemble has played a leading role in connecting European and Asian traditions of Baroque performance.
Artists
Bach Collegium Japan
Masato Suzuki conductor
Programme
Johann Sebastian Bach
Brandenburg Concertos No. 1–6, BWV 1046–1051
Additional information
Duration ca. 2 hours and 30 minutes (incl. 20 minutes interval)
Dates and tickets
Chamber Music Hall
23 to 54 €
Introduction
19:15
with Bernhard Schrammek
Series R: Originalklang
Background
Biography
Bach Collegium Japan
Founded in 1990 by Masaaki Suzuki to introduce Japanese audiences to European Baroque music, the Bach Collegium Japan has become internationally recognised for its historically informed performances. Its recording of the complete Bach cantatas, a project spanning more than 20 years, has been particularly acclaimed.
The ensemble has since expanded its repertoire to include Classical and Romantic music, with recordings of Mozart’s Great Mass in C minor, Beethoven’s Missa solemnis and Ninth Symphony, and Brahms’s German Requiem. Its international engagements have included performances at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Philharmonie Berlin, the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. It has also appeared at the Lucerne Festival and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall.
Masato Suzuki is a conductor, harpsichordist, organist and composer. As Principal Conductor of the Bach Collegium Japan, founded by his father, Masaaki Suzuki, he is closely involved in the ensemble’s Bach performances as well as developing new opera and concert projects. He is also Associate Conductor and Creative Partner of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of Ensemble Genesis and Principal Guest Conductor of the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra. His work spans Baroque music, the Classical and Romantic repertoire, and contemporary compositions.
Suzuki has conducted ensembles including the Orchestre de Paris, the NHK Symphony Orchestra, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, the Netherlands Bach Society and the Academy of Ancient Music. His recordings include numerous releases with the Bach Collegium Japan and an album of Bach’s sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord with Antoine Tamestit, nominated for an International Classical Music Award. He has also conducted world premieres of his own compositions and works by other composers.
Suzuki studied at the Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai) and the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, and regularly gives masterclasses.
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