Hapsichord Concert: France Meets Bach

French music played a major role at the Celle court thanks to the cultural influence of its Huguenot duchess Eléonore d'Olbreuse. Even Johann Sebastian Bach is said to have been delighted by the Celle court orchestra. In this concert, Johan Brouwer focuses on the inspiration of French harpsichord music for Bach's work.

Programme:

In addition to J.S. Bach, the programme includes pieces by J.J. Champion de Chambonnières, François and Louis Couperin, J.J. Froberger and a French-inspired suite by Georg Böhm composed in Lüneburg.

The concert will be played on an exact replica of a 17th century French harpsichord. The replica by David Rubio (1980) is based on an instrument built by Antoine Vaudry (1681). The decoration (chinoisserie) is also a copy of the original, made by Ann Mactaggert.

Johan Brouwer:

Johan Brouwer studied organ, music theory and harpsichord at the conservatories in Groningen and Amsterdam. He has performed in the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, England and Germany. As a former conductor and harpsichordist of the Groningen Baroque Orchestra "Collegium Musicum", he devoted himself not only to the great traditional works of the Baroque, but also to unknown works of the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition, Brouwer was for a long time the conductor of the Winschoter Kamerkoor, with which he performed mainly music of the 17th century in collaboration with the Collegium Musicum Groningen.