No 40 KLASSIK underground @ Bachfest 2024

Bachfest artist in residence Chouchane Siranossian will be joined by musicians of the Gewandausorchester for a magical evening interweaving of Armenian folk music with a selection of Bach chorales and cantata movements arranged for strings. Folk music and church music have been related at various times, and the origins of Western sacred music can be traced to mid-eastern countries. No composer embodies this connection more than renowned Armenian priest, composer and ethnomusicologist Komitas, who utilised his studies in Berlin of Western music to collect and transcribe Armenian folk songs. His »Miniatures«, arranged for strings by S. Z. Aslamazian, are both emotionally raw and hypnotic, affording us glimpses into a world of mystical traditions and customs. Set within the captivating atmosphere of the ancient underground Moritzbastei, this KLASSIK underground concert promises an emotionally charged evening traversing musical universes, shining light on both their interrelationship and the power of music to transcend notions of culture, place and tradition.