Music by the Bach Family

Over nearly 50 years, the Camden Choir has built a reputation for singing repertoire by less well known composers, as well as lesser known pieces by the great composers – and that adventurous musical spirit can certainly be seen in this programme. There is something familiar here: Johann Sebastian Bach’s beloved and beautiful motet Jesu meine Freude. But alongside that the choir will perform his less well known Mass in G minor (Lutheran Mass), as well as the charming motet Das ist meine Freude by Johan Ludwig Bach.

Johann Ludwig Bach was an almost exact contemporary of his more famous second cousin. He made his career in the court at Saxe Meiningen, and his motet writing provides a fascinating contrast to Johann Sebastian’s – it’s much lighter and more Italianate. The choir will be accompanied by organist Iestyn Evans, and joined by four soloists from the Royal Academy of Music. They are Camilla Saba Davies (soprano), Bernadette Johns (mezzo), Aaron Godfrey-Mayes (tenor) and Johannes Moore (bass).