The Camden Choir sings music from the Bach Family at St Mary’s Church, Primrose Hill

The Camden Choir returns to our home base – St Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill – to explore two of Johann Sebastian Bach’s best-loved motets – Jesu meine Freude and Komm, Jesu, Komm – plus works by two of his relatives. Jesu meine Freude is one of Bach's rare pieces set for five voices, and was possibly composed for a specific funeral in 1732. Komm, Jesu, Komm (set for two choirs) was also very probably composed for a funeral – it has been suggested that it was for that of an eminent theologian, Johann Schmid, in 1731.

Probably the most illustrious Bach prior to JS, Johann Christoph Bach (1642–1703) was his first cousin, once removed. He visited Italy as a young man and clearly learnt much from his Venetian predecessors, when he incorporated these lessons into his extensive changes in German church music. He started his career in Arnstadt, but moved fairly quickly to Eisenach where he spent the remainder of a somewhat turbulent life. His works were far more ambitious and emotionally charged than was typical for the time. The motet that we shall perform – Liber Herr Gott, wek auf uns – is a setting of a collect for Advent.

Johann Ludwig Bach (1677–1731) belonged to a distant branch of the family which made the little court of Saxe-Meiningen the centre of its life and professional activities. His music, which was much respected and performed by his illustrious relative (JS Bach) in Leipzig, has a lighter, more Italianate style. This joyful motet – Das ist meine Freude – is full of florid vocal lines and conversational passages between the two four-part choruses.

Artists: Iestyn Evans (conductor), Jacob Garside (cello), The Camden Choir

Time: 18:00 - 20:00