Arp-Schnitger-Festival II: Bach – Händel – Vivaldi

Programme:
Johann Sebastian Bach: Organ Sonata No. 3 in D minor BWV 527, Organ Concerto in A minor BWV 593 (after Vivaldi RV 522) and other works
George Frideric Handel: Organ Concerto No. 13 in F major »The Cuckoo and the Nightingale« HWV 295
Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in G minor RV 578 (»L’ Estro Armonico« Op. 3/2)

The organ of the St. Willehadi church was built in 1743 by Erasmus Bielfeldt. Today it is the best-preserved instrument from the Schnitger school and one of northern Germany’s most important historical organs from the time of Bach and Handel, so it seems only logical that these two Baroque grand masters take centre stageThey were not only born in the same year, 1685, but also shared an interest in Italian music. But whereas Handel travelled to Italy for several years in 1706, Bach only knew the music there through scores. His organ concerto BWV 593, a transcription of work by Vivaldi, and his organ sonata BWV 527 are clear proof of this. Handel in turn evokes Vivaldi’s forest sounds in his organ concerto HWV 295, in which the cuckoo and nightingale compete against each other in birdsong. And Vivaldi’s ingenious concerto RV 578 reflects all these influences – it’s a match!

Arp-Schnitger-Ensemble
Veronika Skuplik violin and director
Krzysztof Urbaniak organ and director

supported by the Conrad Naber Stiftung, the Gottfried Stehnke Bauunternehmung, the Osterholzer Kreisblatt, the Osterholzer Stadtwerke, the Stadt Osterholz-Scharmbeck, the Volksbank eG, the VR-Stiftung and the Wümme-Zeitung