Sound of Heaven
Johann Sebastian Bach · International Baroque Days Melk Abbey 2017
Bach’s Pentecost cantatas closing the 2017 Baroque Days – with Michael Schade, Günther Groissböck, the Tölzer Knabenchor and Concentus Musicus Wien.
Pentecost has many names: feast of enlightenment, birthday of the Church, feast of light, coming of the Holy Spirit. Johann Sebastian Bach found eloquent titles and jubilant sounds for it – three of his Pentecost cantatas formed the heart of the closing concert of the International Baroque Days Melk Abbey 2017: “O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe”, “Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt” and “Erschallet, ihr Lieder”.
On Whit Monday, 5 June 2017, Concentus Musicus Wien under Stefan Gottfried performed in the abbey church of Melk, with Michael Schade and Günther Groissböck as soloists. Appearing in Melk for the first time was the Tölzer Knabenchor, which had once performed with Concentus Musicus under Nikolaus Harnoncourt and now renewed this collaboration.
The concert film frames the cantatas with images of the Wachau and Melk Abbey and closes with the audience and performers meeting in the abbey’s baroque cellar.
Photos: © Daniela Matejschek
Facts
- Works
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantatas “O ewiges Feuer, o Ursprung der Liebe”, BWV 34“Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt”, BWV 68“Erschallet, ihr Lieder”, BWV 172Motet “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied”, BWV 225Sinfonias from the cantatas BWV 21, BWV 42 and BWV 150
- Original title
- Dem Himmel so nah
- Venue and recording
- Abbey church of MelkInternational Baroque Days Melk AbbeyClosing concert, 5 June 2017
- First broadcast
- ORF III, 11 June 2017ORF 2, 15 June 2017
- Running time
- 80 min.
Credits
- Conductor
- Stefan Gottfried
- Soloists
- Michael Schade (tenor)Günther Groissböck (bass)Soloists of the Tölzer Knabenchor
- Ensembles
- Concentus Musicus WienTölzer Knabenchor (chorus masters: Christian Fliegner and Clemens Haudum)
- TV director
- Volker Werner
- Executive producer
- Martin Pichl
- Co-production
- ORF III, ORF and SCARLATTI Arts
- In collaboration with
- Melk Abbey and International Baroque Days Melk Abbey
- World sales
- Unitel
Partners
