Bach's THE ART OF FUGUE in a new version by Heribert Breuer (world premiere)

This was Breuer's first major Bach arrangement, which he conceived a good 50 years ago during his Villa Massimo scholarship in Rome. It represents his credo that Bach should not only be approached with so-called ‘historical performance practice’.

To this end, the director of the Berlin Bach Academy uses four quartets whose instrumental instrumentation symbolises four musical eras: from ‘early music’ to classical and romantic to the ‘cool jazz’ of our century.


The performance history of this concept has been accompanied by great success over the past 50 years: it has been celebrated as ‘the most exciting art of the fugue’ at all renowned festivals in Germany and abroad.

For this year's performance, Breuer has prepared a revised version that ends with Johannes Brahms' last work: ‘O Welt, ich muss dich lassen’ (O world, I must leave you).
It will be premiered on 21 September.