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Venues: |
The Internationales Bachfest Hamburg takes place across multiple prominent cultural and historical locations in Hamburg. The primary venues for the festival include:
Elbphilharmonie Hamburg (Grand Hall): The iconic modern waterfront concert hall hosts major orchestral and grand-scale performances.
Laeiszhalle: The city’s traditional concert hall, frequently used for intimate chamber music and vocal performances.
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (MK&G): Hosts smaller scale, exhibition-integrated performances (such as Die Kunst der Fuge) and lectures.
Historic Churches: Venues such as St. Jacobi in Lüdingworth and St. Severi in Otterndorf host organ-focused concerts and cantatas. |
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Ensembles: |
The Internationales Bachfest Hamburg features a rich array of internationally renowned and local performing ensembles. The festival showcases an extensive mix of choral, symphonic, and chamber music performances spread across various venues in the Hamburg metropolitan region. The prominent ensembles include:
Local ensembles
B'Rock Orchestra: A historically informed performance ensemble that regularly collaborates with the festival on major operatic works (e.g., J.C. Bach's Amadis de Gaule).
Carl-Philipp-Emanuel-Bach-Chor Hamburg: A staple local vocal ensemble that performs major choral works as well as intimate recitals alongside festival artists.
Visiting Groups
Barucco Barockorchester Wien: An Austrian period-instrument ensemble that has collaborated for festival highlights like the J.S. Bach secular cantata closing concerts at the Laeiszhalle.
C.P.E. Bach Ensemble: An instrumental string and continuo group that focuses on works spanning from the Baroque era into the classical and pre-classical periods. |
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History & Mission: |
The Internationales Bachfest Hamburg is a major classical music event hosted annually in Hamburg, Germany. Launched by the C.P.E. Bach-Akademie and the C.P.E. Bach-Chor, its mission is to honor the musical heritage of the Bach family and highlight Hamburg’s rich history as a European musical hub.
History
The "Hamburger Bach": The festival's historical roots trace back to J.S. Bach's fifth child, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. C.P.E. Bach served as Hamburg’s "Musikdirektor" for the last 20 years of his life, fundamentally shaping the city's musical landscape.
Festival Inception: The C.P.E. Bach-Akademie, in collaboration with the C.P.E. Bach-Chor, established the modern festival to celebrate both the father (Johann Sebastian) and his sons. The event has evolved into a massive, multi-week celebration of Classical and Baroque music across the city.
Recent Milestone: The multi-day IV. Internationales Bachfest Hamburg spanned over 50 events in April 2026, welcoming 100+ international artists and ensembles from 20 countries.
Mission
Reviving the Bach Family Legacy: Rather than focusing solely on J.S. Bach, the festival frequently explores the works of his sons - such as Hamburg and the "London Bach," Johann Christian Bach.
The Hanse.Baroque Network: The festival acts as the epicenter for a growing network designed to connect northern German Bach cities and European musical institutions.
Innovation: The festival pairs historic, rigorous performances with modern, educational outreach.
Note
Hamburger Bach-Wochen (founded 1973), is a differnt Bach Festival, whose core mission is grounded in the idea that Western church music as we know it would not exist without J.S. Bach. |
