For centuries, music was a medium of encounters – whether voluntary or forced, full of conflicts or inspiring creativity. Two Bachfest concert illuminate in different ways this dialogue between cultures, times and musical sound scapes.
No 187 – Pure Passion
Sturday, 20th June 2026, 5.00 pm, Peterskirche
Programme: G. B. Bassani: Missa encarnación · A. Vivaldi: Gloria D-Dur, RV 589 · J. S. Bach: Messe G-Dur, BWV 236
Artists: Hanna Zumsande (soprano), Marie Luise Werneburg (soprano), Terry Wey (altus), Patrick Grahl (tenor), Tobias Berndt (bass)
Solisten, Coro Urubichá (Bolivien) – ead by Mercedes Papu A
Collegium Musicum ‘23 – lead by Nadja Zwiener (violin)
From the 16th to the 18th century, large parts of Central and South America were conquered and evangelised by European colonialists. At the very forefront was the Jesuit order, for whom church music was an important medium for their mission. In cathedrals and churches of the Jesuit provinces, large-scale choirs and instrumental ensembles were set up, instruments made and music collections established.
This gave rise to a forced, yet fruitful dialogue between conquerors and conquered. The programme of the passionate youth choir Coro Urubichá from Bolivia includes a mass by the Italian composer Giovanni Battista Bassani, which arrived in their homeland in the early 18th century and there was arranged to suit local taste.
The concert connects this musical trace of a transatlantic encounter with works by Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach – and allows hearers to identify the mutual influences European and Latin American music traditions had on each other.
Artists: WVC Jazz Bach Ensemble: Tay Cher Siang (piano), AJ Popshuvit (bass), Adriel Wong (drums), Tan Chee Shen (tenor), Tan Jie (bamboo flute), Vicky Ramakrishna (tabla)
Titled »Malayan Dialogues with Bach«, the concerts offers a meeting between Johann Sebastian Bach and the musical sound oy Malaysia. The WVC Jazz Bach Ensemble combines elements of jazz with South Asian traditions: piano, bass and drums meet bamboo flute and tabla – and open up a dialogue between Baroque structure and improvising freedom, between European art music and Malayan sound culture. A lively exchange results the throw a new light on Bach’s music from a different cultural perspective and perpetuates the idea of »dialogue of cultures« into the present.