Camden New Journal - Classical and Jazz: Bach

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The Review - MUSIC - classical & jazz with TONY KIELY
Published: 30 August 2007

St Johns Downshire Hill, Hampstead

Players Bach at St Johns

PREVIEW: BACH ARRANGING AND ARRANGED
St Johns

THE Bach Players launch a new concert series on September 20 at St Johns Downshire Hill in Hampstead.
The group – founded with the aim of bringing the music of JS Bach to a new audience, especially his still under-appreciated church Cantatasis – is now in its 10th year, having started in 1997 with concerts at St John’s Wood parish church.
Since then they have played all over Britain and travelled to Germany and Croatia to perform.
The Players are a collective of like-minded musicians, who all perform for the leading early music ensembles.
When founder and artistic director Nicolette Moonen moved to Dartmouth Park she started looking for a new base for the ensemble – believing that cultural events in London need to be decentralised. She says she has found the perfect venue at St Johns.
The church, built in 1818–23, has recently been restored.
Some of the pews have gone and have been replaced with comfortable chairs; the remaining pews now have cushions and the whole building has an intimate feel that lends itself to the performance of ensemble music.
Thirty years ago the church was a centre for concerts and recordings, so the new series represents a continuation of this tradition.
The Bach Players series will see a mix of chamber music and larger-scale vocal works.
Bach’s music, of course, plays a central role, but the series will also feature pieces by other composers.
The first programme features fugues by Bach arranged by Mozart, a Haydn string quartet, and culminates in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in the arrangement by JS Bach.
The second concert (in November) again features the music of Bach and his predecesor Rosenmüller.
Plans for 2008 include a concert at Easter of Haydn’s string quartet version of The Seven Last Words, and a summer evening of music by Boccherini and Haydn.
* The Bach Players concert season begins with Bach Arranging and Arranged on Thursday September 20 at 8pm in St Johns Downshire Hill, Hampstead, NW3. Tickets £15 (£10 concessions).
For further information and advance ticket sales call 020 7272 7651.
www.thebachplayers.org.uk

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