Bach Festival

Bach Festival

Late July for 10 days during odd-numbered years

Although the Bavarian city of Ansbach, Germany, has no particular connection to Johann Sebastian Bach, it has been the site of a biennial Bach Festival, the Bachwoche Ansbach, since 1947. Only music by Bach (or one of his family members) is played, and only on authentic instruments from Bach's time, such as the 1776 fortepiano. Even the concerts are held in buildings that were standing during Bach's lifetime, such as the 15th-century St. Gumbertus Church with its baroque organ.
Well-known vocalists, instrumentalists, and ensembles from all over the world are invited to the 10-day festival to perform Bach's motets, cantatas, organ, and orchestral works. The audience can experience not only the music but the fine acoustics and period architecture of the historic sites where the festival is held. The Palace of Carl Wilhelm Friedrich, for example, allows 500 festival-goers to listen to Bach in its rococo-style ballroom.

CONTACTS:
Bach Festival
Karlsplatz 7
Ansbach, 91522 Germany
49-981-150-37; fax: 49-981-155-01
www.bachwoche.de

SOURCES:
MusFestEurBrit-1980, p. 95