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The Master and His Master
Buxtehude & Bach

Sebastian Consort

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We kindly ask you to arrive on time, as we have a first come, first seated system.

Performers

About the programme

Our closing concert programme consists of works by two great German masters of the early and mature Baroque: Dietrich Buxtehude and Johann Sebastian Bach. In 1705, the then only twenty-year-old Bach received permission from the authorities of the Neue Kirche in Arnstadt (today known as the Bachkirche), where he held his first post as an organist, to visit Dietrich Buxtehude, the organist of St. Mary’s Church in Lübeck, who was regarded as the greatest organ virtuoso of his time and was already nearly 70 years old.

The young Bach travelled the approximately 400-kilometre journey on foot and, instead of the few weeks originally planned, stayed in Lübeck for around three months. There, he was deeply influenced not only by Buxtehude’s organ playing, but also by the Abendmusik, evening Advent concerts established by the elder master, which had a profound impact on his own artistic development.

Although the possibility was considered that Bach might succeed the ageing Buxtehude in his position, this ultimately did not come to pass, partly because of the conditions attached to the appointment (such as the requirement to marry Buxtehude’s daughter). Nevertheless, the experiences Bach gained in Lübeck left an indelible mark on his early keyboard works, as well as on his chorale harmonisations and cantatas. He also returned home with numerous Buxtehude scores, many of them copied out by hand.

At the concert of the Sebastian Consort, Buxtehude’s cantatas will alternate with chamber works by Bach, performed in arrangements of his trio sonatas.

About the performers

The Sebastian Consort early music ensemble was founded in 2003 by recorder player Imre Lachegyi, with the aim of popularizing and promoting the historically informed performance of Renaissance and Baroque consort music in Hungary, as well as researching and performing unique, rarely played works. Originally consisting purely of recorders, the ensemble’s lineup has evolved over the years, and its repertoire has expanded both in terms of genre and historical scope. In line with the concept of their unique programs spanning from the Middle Ages to contemporary music, they perform with a diverse range of instrumentation and performers. Throughout their existence, they have given numerous concerts nationwide, while also maintaining a distinct commitment to serving as a permanent early music workshop in the Danube Bend.