27 September marks our first Bach Vespers in St George’s, Alie Street, E1 8EB. The service is at 6.30pm and everyone is welcome.

As a house-warming celebration, we perform Bach’s joyous cantata BWV 192, Nun danket alle Gott. Other music in the service includes a motet of the same name by Pachelbel; the uplifting final chorus of another Bach cantata, BWV 134a, with its appropriate text ‘Bring joy to this house!’; and some beautiful flute pieces by Hasse. All music is performed by our specialist team of singers and period instrumentalists.

Attendance is free and you don’t need to be religious, so do come along and bring a friend. We look forward to sharing Bach’s wonderful music with you.

Following Bach Vespers: 25 October (BWV 80).

From September, Bach Vespers cantata services take place in a new venue:  St George’s Lutheran Church, Alie Street, London. St George’s is the oldest Lutheran Church building in the country. It was built in the eighteenth century to serve the German community in London. It will be amazing to hear and perform Bach’s music in this historic venue from the same period. We look forward to welcoming you there, and sharing this special experience.

The Autumn Bach Vespers services are full of celebration! Come and join us on these dates:

  27 September: Bach Vespers première in our new home!

  25 October: Reformation Day Bach Vespers

  29 November: 50th Anniversary of Bach Vespers in the City of London!

All services are at 6.30pm, in St George’s, Alie Street, E1 8EB (nearest tube, Aldgate East).

Come and join us on 26 July, for a performance of Bach’s impressive yet rarely performed cantata, BWV 186, Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht. This Bach Vespers service takes place at 6.30pm at the church of St Mary at Hill in the City of London, hosted by St Anne’s Lutheran Church.

Bach first wrote the music for this cantata for Advent in 1716, when he was working in Weimar. In 1723, Bach adapted and expanded the cantata for the seventh Sunday after Trinity, because in Leipzig it was not permitted to perform cantatas in Advent. This later version, which we perform, relates to the Gospel reading of the miracle of the bread and fishes. BWV 173 is a substantial work in two parts, intended to be performed either side of the sermon in a service, as we shall do. This cantata particularly features double-reed instruments, with three oboes in different sizes and bassoon. The cantata consists of eleven highly varied movements, including striking choruses, an energetic bass aria, a chromatic and sublimely expressive soprano aria and an exquisite duet for soprano and alto. There will also be lots of other music in the service, both vocal and instrumental, by Bach and other German baroque composers, performed on period instruments. This will be the final Bach Vespers before the summer break.

Everyone is welcome (you don’t have to be religious), and attendance is free. Do come along and bring your friends. We look forward to seeing you there to share Bach’s wonderful music!

Come and join us for Bach Vespers on 28 June, 6.30pm, at the church of St Mary-at-Hill, where we will perform BWV 10, Meine Seel erhebt den Herren. Also known as Bach’s ‘German Magnificat’, this stunningly beautiful cantata was originally composed for the Feast of the Visitation in 1724. In format it is a typical chorale cantata, but instead of being based on a hymn tune, it is based on the chant melody traditionally used for the Magnificat with German text by Martin Luther. The service will also contain other music by German baroque composers, performed by our team of singers and period instrument specialists.

Everyone is welcome. Attendance is free and you don’t need to be religious, so do come along and bring a friend. We look forward to sharing Bach’s wonderful music with you.

Following Bach Vespers: 26 July (BWV 186).

Our next Bach Cantata performance will be on 31 May, when we present one of Bach’s most spellbinding masterpieces, BWV 173, Erhöhtes Fleisch und Blut. This Bach Vespers service takes place at 6.30pm at the church of St Mary at Hill in the City of London, hosted by St Anne’s Lutheran Church.

This cantata specifically features flutes, which add a flavour of elegance and delicacy. Bach took the music from a secular cantata composed in Köthen as a birthday tribute to his employer. In 1724, Bach adapted this music to a new text in exaltation of God, adding extra instruments and singers to create BWV 173. The secular origins of the music can be heard in the dance-style of many of the movements, not least the unusual and attractive duet for soprano and bass, which builds up in instrumentation from a modest opening to a glorious ending. This is an upbeat feel-good cantata celebrating God’s goodness towards mankind.

The service will also include other music, both vocal and instrumental, by Bach and other German baroque composers, performed on period instruments.

Everyone is welcome (you don’t have to be religious), and attendance is free. Do come along and bring your friends. We look forward to seeing you there to share Bach’s wonderful music!

Following Bach Vespers: 28 June (BWV 10).