Coffee Cantatas by Bach and Bernier
Thursday 30 May 2024 · 20:15 h
Het Concertgebouw, Kleine Zaal
This concert tells the story of how coffee conquered Europe in the baroque era. With Nicolas Berniers Le Caffé (IVe Cantate a voix seulle avec Symphonie) from 1703 and J.S. Bach’s Kaffeekantate (Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht) from 1731, we follow the triumphant march of the coffee house from Venice to cities such as Paris and Leipzig. The premiere of Bach’s Kaffeekantate took place in the elegant Zimmermann coffee house in Leipzig, where Bach performed every Friday evening with his Collegium Musicum, which consisted of students and professional musicians. And women were also welcome during concerts!
To complete the program Pearls in Baroque also performs Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto no. 5. The (six) Brandenburg Concertos derive their name from the fact that Bach had written them for Christian Ludwig, the Margrave of Brandenburg. The 5th Concerto is special because of its prominent solo for harpsichord, next to solo parts for traverso and violin.
Supported by:
Kristen Witmer
Berend Eijkhout ©Maurice Lammerts van Bueren
Programme
J.S. Bach
(1685-1750)
Kaffeekantate (BWV 211)
Nicolas Bernier
(1665-1734)
Le Caffé
J.S. Bach
(1685-1750)
Brandenburg Concerto no. 5 (BWV 1050)
Musicians
Kristen Witmer
Soprano
Twan van der Wolde
Tenor
Berend Eijkhout
Bass
© Maurice Lammerts van Bueren
Sayuri Yamagata
Solo baroque violin
© Dorota Kozerska
Fátima Hernández
Baroque violin
Ruben Sanderse
Baroque viola
Evan Buttar
Baroque cello & Viola da gamba
© Suzanne Monnier
Robert Franenberg
Contrabass & Violone
Pablo Sosa
Traverso
© Antonio del Rosario
Noriko Amano
Harpsichord (clavecimbel)
© Lila Poppy Geurts
Emily van Baaren
Baroque dance