Double Choir! Bach, Martin

Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 8:30 PM

Estimated Run Time: 1 hour

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Johann Sebastian Bach's motets represent the pinnacle of the composer's contrapuntal artistry, towering monuments that dominate all Western religious music. Although most of them were composed in Leipzig, they were not part of the sacred works that Bach wrote each week for St. Thomas and St. Nicholas churches. They were commissioned works intended for special occasions. When listening to them, one would hardly guess their funereal purpose (as they were intended for the funerals of important figures). They frequently feature a double choir structure and captivate with their variety of colors, which richly illustrate the meaning of the text. Mirroring this, Frank Martin's Mass for Double Choir displays an architectural rigor worthy of the Leipzig cantor, whom he deeply admired. It is one of the pinnacles of vocal art, with its use of a double a cappella choir, both highly demanding and extremely liberated in its fervor.

Photo by ©DR

Program

Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Chanson à bouche fermée

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Komm, Jesu, komm BWV 229
Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 225
Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden BWV 230

Williams Roderick (*1965)
Ave Verum Corpus Re-imagined

Frank Martin (1890-1974)
Messe pour double chœur a cappella

Cast

BBC Singers
Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris
Yves Castagnet, organ
Henri Chalet et Sofi Jeannin, conductors