Bach-Kantaten

"Bach-Kantaten" is a concert in which students perform several cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach, including "Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben" BWV 77, "Jesu, der du meine Seele" BWV 78, and "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" BWV 80. It is presented by the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin under the direction of harpsichordist Raphael Alpermann, a founding member of the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin and alumnus of the school. Bach's cantatas weave text and music together strikingly, and around 200 of them survive; melody, rhythm, articulation, and the choice of instruments reflect different characters of the biblical texts. Each semester the students prepare several cantatas, which are performed in a final concert at the Sophienkirche.