Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Bach-Chor Berlin: Cantatas & Concerts

Name:

Bach-Chor Berlin

Location:

Berlin, Germany

Venues:

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche

Years:

Since 1947 (Cantata Series)

Months:

January-June; September-December (a cantata every other week)

Artistic Director:

Hanns-Martin Schneidt (1957-1963)
Helmuth Rilling (1963-1964)
Karl Hochreither (1964-2001)
Achim Zimmermann (2004-Present)

Ensembles:

Bach-Chor Berlin
Bach-Collegium Berlin

Website:

Bach-Chor Berlin

History & Mission:

The regular performance of Bach cantatas in week final services in Berlin began in 1947. Among the initiators at that time was the important Bach researcher Friedrich Smend (died in 1980). Up to the establishment of the Bach-Chor Berlin the cantatas were performed by various Berlin choirs assisted by an ensemble of instrumentalists. The conducting in each case was given to the director the participating choir.

Hanns-Martin Schneidt, which had taken over 1956 the direction of the Berliner Kirchenmusikschule and der Spandauer Kantorei, conducted nearly all performances starting from 1957. On May 25, 1957, he created the Bach-Collegium Berlin from the proven circle of the instrumentalists, who came first, due to the building of the wall only from the orchestras of the Western part of Berlin (Orchester der Deutschen Oper, Berliner Philharmoniker, Radio-Symphonie-Orchester-Berlin). Later the Bach-Collegium Berlin was statutory connected with the Bach-Chor Berlin which had been created in 1961 by Hanns-Martin Schneidt. Since the reunification members of orchestras of the former East part of the city, including those of the Staatskapelle Berlin would also play.

After Hanns-Martin Schneidt left Berlin, Helmuth Rilling took over the direction of the Bach-Chor Berlin and the Bach-Collegium Berlin in 1963/64. His follower, Karl Hochreither, began in February 1964 and continued up to 2001. Since 2002 Achim Zimmermann leads the Bach-Chor Berlin and the Bach-Collegium Berlin.

Logo:

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