Conductor Herreweghe turns 75: Festive Hohe Messe on April 24 at Het Concertgebouw
On May 2, the renowned Flemish conductor Philippe Herreweghe will turn 75. This will be celebrated in the Netherlands with a festive performance of Bach's Hohe Messe on April 24 in the Main Hall of Het Concertgebouw.Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent
Philippe Herreweghe studied at the Conservatory of Gent and founded Collegium Vocale Gent in 1970 (which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020), which originally dedicated itself to the works of J.S. Bach (which would remain a common thread throughout the repertoire). Herreweghe also studied medicine and specialized in psychiatry. Collegium Vocale Gent, inseparably connected with Philippe Herreweghe, has been one of the world-renowned baroque ensembles since its founding. Starting as a choir, it has also developed an orchestral section.Philippe Herreweghe is among the most impressive conductors of his generation and has received many honors. He was appointed, together with Collegium Vocale Gent, Cultural Ambassador of Flanders in 1993, received an honorary doctorate from KU Leuven in 1997, was elevated to the nobility in 2000, received the KLARA Career Prize in 2014, and the Prize of the Flemish Community for General Cultural Services in 2020.
Hohe Messe
The Hohe Messe is among the finest and most famous vocal works of J.S. Bach. Bach himself believed that in this work all the best of him was 'combined'. Bach did not compose this 'high mass' all at once. The individual mass sections were composed in different years; the "Credo," for example, in 1732 and the "Agnus Dei" in 1739. Incidentally, in Bach's time it was not uncommon for masses to be performed by both Protestants and Catholics. The performance on April 24 is characterized by a great deal of transparency through the relatively small choir. For the sake of the unity of the work, the Hohe Messe is performed without intermission.
Programme
J.S. Bach – Mass in B minor ('Hohe Messe')
Choir and Orchestra of Collegium Vocale Gent | Philippe Herreweghe, conductor
Miriam Feuersinger, soprano I | Margot Oitzinger, soprano II | Alex Potter, countertenor
Guy Cutting, tenor | Peter Kooij, bass
On the website www.vocaalbarok.nl/hm you will find information and booking options (with discount code for € 10,-)