London Bach Society facts for kids

The London Bach Society is a group dedicated to playing and singing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was a famous composer who lived a long time ago, from 1685 to 1750. The society works to perform his music in a way that sounds like it would have when he was alive.

How the Society Started

The London Bach Society began in 1946. It was started by a musician named Paul Steinitz. He noticed that music had changed a lot since Bach's time. Orchestras and choirs had become much bigger, and musical instruments were made differently.

Steinitz wanted to hear Bach's music played in its original style. He believed this would make the music sound much clearer. So, he formed a choir called the London Bach Society to perform Bach's works.

The London Bach Society Choir

The choir officially started in 1947. It was made up of talented amateur singers. Paul Steinitz worked hard with them, rehearsing a lot to make them sound excellent.

The London Bach Society (LBS) choir performed many concerts. They mainly played Bach's music, but also sang pieces by other composers from the Baroque period. These included Handel, Telemann, and Heinrich Schütz. They even performed music by more modern composers like Stravinsky, John Tavener, and Nicholas Maw.

Bach's Cantatas and Passions

Between 1958 and 1987, the LBS choir achieved something amazing. They performed all 208 of Bach's known cantatas. Cantatas are like short musical stories, often for choir and orchestra. Many other cantatas by Bach have been lost over time.

Every year during Lent, the choir would perform one of Bach's large musical works called a Passion. These pieces tell the story of Jesus's last days. They usually performed the famous St Matthew Passion.

Touring the World

The London Bach Society choir also traveled to many different countries. They went on tours to the USA, Israel, and Bulgaria. They even visited East Germany twice. There, they sang at St Thomas Church in Leipzig. This church was very special because Bach himself was the Director of Music there for many years.

The Steinitz Bach Players

In 1968, Paul Steinitz created a group of musicians called the Steinitz Bach Players. These were professional musicians who knew how to play Baroque music.

Over time, Steinitz was able to add more and more historical instruments to his concerts. These are instruments made and played in the same way they were during Bach's time. Some examples include the natural trumpet, oboe da caccia, baroque flute, and sackbuts.

By 1985, there were enough professional musicians in England who played these old instruments. This meant the LBS choir could perform the St Matthew Passion with a full orchestra of period instruments. They performed this special concert in Wells Cathedral and later in 1987 at Westminster Abbey.

The Society Today

Paul Steinitz passed away in 1989. After his death, the choir stopped performing. However, the London Bach Society still continues its work today.

Now, the society organizes a festival of Bach's music every year. It's called "Bachfest," which means "Bach Festival" in German. This festival helps keep Bach's amazing music alive for new generations to enjoy.