Die Wege Bachs

A musical journey on the trail of Johann Sebastian Bach

Almost 100 kilometres on foot and by bike, four intimate concerts in extraordinary churches in Thuringia. Explore the world of Bach with 50 artists. Unforgettable shared experiences with hikes, picnics, public rehearsals and concerts - an unforgettable musical journey!

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"Humanity does not need consolation in the form of a joke, it needs consolation that enlightens." Stig Dagerman: The need for consolation is insatiable (1952)

The Thirty Years' War almost completely devastated Germany at the beginning of the 17th century. The people, traumatised by decades of conflict, needed comfort and hope. The Protestant faith proved to be a barrier against the death that lurked everywhere.

The political, economic and spiritual upheavals were also echoed in the music. The great polyphonic sound of the previous century was followed by much more intimate forms, inspired by pietism, which encouraged individual faith and a pious life. Songs of consolation emerged and music became the language of the soul, capable of responding to deep suffering. Lyrics and melodies were written for the emotional world and for the edification of Christians.

These short, modest pieces reflect a rare emotional intensity. 
Nevertheless, despite their themes of grief, pain and tears, they spread a luminous clarity and a calm confidence in the future. Death is only the threshold to liberation and eternal bliss. The young Johann Sebastian Bach was strongly influenced by these works, as his first surviving cantatas show.