{"id":104185,"date":"2024-05-14T14:36:12","date_gmt":"2024-05-14T18:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=104185"},"modified":"2024-05-14T14:36:12","modified_gmt":"2024-05-14T18:36:12","slug":"preview-toronto-bach-festival-aims-multifaceted-experience-iconic-composers-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2024\/05\/14\/preview-toronto-bach-festival-aims-multifaceted-experience-iconic-composers-music\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | The Toronto Bach Festival Aims For A Multifaceted Experience Of The Iconic Composer’s Music"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L-R:
L-R: Violinist Adrian Butterfield (Photo courtesy of the artist); The Toronto Bach Festival (Photo: Elana Emer); Soprano Yeree Suh (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Toronto Bach Festival will be held from May 24 to 26, presenting four concerts and a lecture that offer audiences a chance to experience different facets of Bach\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

That includes works for strings to organ to vocal compositions, and a casual performance setting that Bach himself would have appreciated.<\/p>\n

We spoke to the Festival Artistic Director John Abberger to take a deep dive into its offerings<\/p>\n

\"The
The 2023 Toronto Bach Festival (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

John Abberger: Festival Details<\/h2>\n

Opening Night | Game Of Threes (May 24)<\/h3>\n

Adrian Butterfield<\/strong> is a featured artist for the opening night concert. Violinist, director and conductor Adrian Butterfield is a specialist in period performance of the music composed roughly from 1600 to 1900. He currently serves as Musical Director of the Tilford Bach Festival, Associate Music Director of the London Handel Festival, and Professor of Baroque Violin at the Royal College of Music in London. He leads the London Handel Players and The Revolutionary Drawing Room,\u00a0and directs and conducts The London Handel Orchestra.<\/p>\n

Along with a busy performing career, he is a recording artist. He\u2019s performed on both of Abberger\u2019s own recordings, among many of his own, and with The London Handel Orchestra.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really thrilled to be able to invite him to play at the festival this year,\u201d says Abberger.<\/p>\n

Bach\u2019s Concerto for Three Violins opens the concert, followed by an Ouverture by Johann Bernhard Bach, a second cousin of Johann Sebastian.<\/p>\n

The idea for the central theme of threes was Abberger\u2019s own. \u201cI came up with it. I\u2019ve long wanted to […] to perform this concerto for three violins that we\u2019re doing,\u201d he says. He notes that the piece\u2019s origins were as a work for three harpsichords, and that various versions of it exist with different instrumentation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of Bach\u2019s greatest concerto moments,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019ve wanted to do that piece for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Along with Bach\u2019s work, the concert delves the composers who influenced J.S., such as Vivaldi and Albinoni. Exploring the music that surrounded Bach during his own era, and which influenced him, is a much bigger and ongoing project. \u201cWe\u2019re kind of scratching the surface with that,\u201d Abberger says.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s hard to say who listened to who at the time, it is known, as he points out, that Bach possessed Albinoni manuscripts in his personal study.<\/p>\n

It ends with the magnificent Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, where the triple concerto is developed into a three-part work that sees violins, violas and cellos each playing an independent part, along with a basso continuo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can just imagine him loving the challenge,\u201d Abberger says. \u201cIt\u2019s an extraordinary piece. I kind of built the concert around that.\u201d<\/p>\n

It will be the first time Brandenburg No. 3 will be performed at the Festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be an interesting concert.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Toronto Bach Festival Orchestra will accompany, along with violinists Patricia Ahern<\/strong> and Cristina Zacharias<\/strong>, and oboist John Abberger.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Program in full:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Concerto for Three Violins in D major, BWV 1064R by J.S. Bach<\/li>\n
  • Ouverture in G minor by Johann Bernhard Bach<\/li>\n
  • Violin Concerto in A minor, BWV 1041 by J.S. Bach<\/li>\n
  • Concerto for 4 Violins Op.3 No.1 in D major, RV 549 by Antonio Vivaldi<\/li>\n
  • Concerto for Oboe in D minor, Op.9 No.2 by Tomasso Albinoni<\/li>\n
  • Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G major, BWV 1048 by J.S. Bach<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \"The
    The 2023 Toronto Bach Festival (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Organ Recital | Aaron James (May 25)<\/h3>\n

    Aaron James<\/strong> will perform a recital on Karl Wilhelm organ at St. Andrew\u2019s Presbyterian Church, which Abberger calls one of the city\u2019s best.<\/p>\n

    Organist and composer Aaron James is a native of Toronto. He earned a BMus from the University of Western Ontario, and then a MMus in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School, followed by a PhD in musicology. He is a fellow of the Canadian College of Organists, and is currently the Director of Music for the Toronto Oratory of St Philip Neri, and a Sessional Lecturer in\u00a0organ\u00a0at the University of Toronto.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe\u2019re very pleased to present a lot of our local talent,\u201d Abberger says. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen really great advance sales,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

    Despite the popularity of a very few pieces, Abberger feels that the bulk of Bach\u2019s organ works remain little known. \u201cThey are deeply personal works,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m determined to keep presenting it. It\u2019s an important part of any Bach festival.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The concert includes favourites such as Bach\u2019s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, and Prelude and Fugue in C, BWV 547.<\/p>\n

    As in the program for the vocal concert later in the festival, the organ recital incorporates works by Bach\u2019s predecessors at Leipzig, and his contemporaries. That includes twin interpretations of \u201cWie sch\u00f6n leuchtet der Morgenstern\u201d by Bach (BMV 739) and Buxtehude, along with both Bach\u2019s and Reincken\u2019s take on \u201cAn Wasserfl\u00fcssen Babylon\u201d (\u201cBy the Waters of Babylon\u201d).<\/p>\n

    As Abberger points out, Bach was familiar with Reincken\u2019s work, and probably also with Buxtehude\u2019s competing setting of the same hymn.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHe\u2019s constructed a fantastic program,\u201d notes Abberger.<\/p>\n

    \"The
    The 2023 Toronto Bach Festival (Photo: Elana Emer)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    KAFFEEHAUS | Bach\u2019s Hunt Cantata (May 25)<\/h3>\n

    Zimmermann\u2019s Kaffeehaus, a favourite haunt of Johann\u2019s during his Leipzig days, is recreated to present a concert in a casual setting. The idea was launched at last year\u2019s Festival, and quickly became one of its most popular features.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt was a big success,\u201d notes Abberger, so much so that it led to a change to a bigger venue. \u201cI\u2019ve been working on this for at least five years,\u201d he notes. \u201cI\u2019m very excited at this venue.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Kaffeehaus will be recreated at the acoustically friendly and atmospheric Church of the Holy Trinity at Trinity Square. The concert also offers two separate time slots to accommodate the demand.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI think it\u2019s going to be fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Directed by Abberger, the program includes a complete performance of Bach\u2019s \u201cWas mir behagt, ist nur die muntre Jagd\u201d (Hunt Cantata), BWV 208, along with movements from Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. The international guest artist will be soprano Yeree Suh.<\/p>\n

    Abberger mentions meeting soprano Yeree Suh<\/strong> while working in Germany about a decade ago. The German-Korean singer is well known as an interpreter of 17th and 18th century repertoire, making her a perfect fit for the occasion.<\/p>\n

    \u201cShe\u2019s a fantastic singer,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

    Canadian actor RH Thomson<\/strong> will reprise he role of Herr Zimmermann, with singers Ellen McAteer<\/strong>, soprano; Charles Daniels<\/strong>, tenor; Jesse Blumberg<\/strong>, bass, accompanied by the Toronto Bach Festival Orchestra, with students from the Collegium Musicum, University of Toronto.<\/p>\n