A section of the Goethe Choir will be visiting Germany from 16-21 July, travelling on the trail of Johann Sebastian Bach. We will be based in Jena in Thüringen and performing in a number of places associated with the great composer. This includes singing in the Bachkirche in Arnstadt (where he had his first job as church organist), the Kaufmannskirche in Erfurt (where his parents were married), the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig (which was one of the Leipzig churches for which Bach had responsibility for supervising the music as Kantor from 1723 until his death in 1750) and the Bachhaus in Eisenach (where Bach was born), as well as performing in the Dorfkirche in Schlöben near Jena.
Our performance schedule is:
Friday 17th July 12 noon – Bachkirche Arnstadt – 30-minute lunchtime concert
Friday 17th July 7.30 pm – Kaufmannskirche Erfurt – concert
Saturday 18th July 7 pm – Dorfkirche Schlöben – concert
Sunday 19th July 10 am – Nikolaikirche Leipzig – singing at communion service
Monday 20th July 2 pm – Bachhaus Eisenach – 15-minute informal garden singing
Our programme consists of Irish choral and instrumental works ranging over 5 centuries. The two concerts in Erfurt and Schlöben will feature a performance of ‘Greenwich Parley – an Elegy for Two Queens’, a cantata about the meeting of the Irish ‘pirate queen’ Grace O’Malley with the English Queen Elizabeth I in Greenwich.
The choir will be under the direction of guest conductor David Leigh, and will be joined by Reinhold Meiser from Ingolstadt on organ / piano / keyboard and for the concerts in Erfurt and Schlöben by Eamonn Galldubh on Uileann Pipes & Flute.