Passacaglia

Smith Square Hall, London, Great Britain

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Select date and time

1:05 PM 7:30 PM

Important Info

Type: Classical Concert

City: London, Great Britain

Starts at: 13:05

Duration:

Ticket delivery: E-Tickets

E-tickets: Print at home or at the box office of the event if so specified. You will find more information in your booking confirmation email.

Can I choose my seats?

You can only select the category, and not the exact seats.
If you order 2 or 3 tickets: your seats will be next to each other.
If you order 4 or more tickets: your seats will be next to each other, or, if this is not possible, we will provide a combination of groups of seats (at least in pairs, for example 2+2 or 2+3).

Programme

Overview

Step into the evolving echo of centuries as organist Matthew Martin pairs Bach’s iconic Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor with Frank Martin’s vividly reimagined 20th-century Passacaille. Along the way, discover treasures from the French organ tradition by de Grigny and Litaize, plus lighter English interludes by Peter Hurford and a fresh chorale prelude by the soloist himself. Join us for a lunchtime journey through time and harmony.In this lunchtime recital, organist Matthew Martin invites audiences on a transcendent voyage through time, exploring the metamorphosis of a single theme across the centuries. The programme opens with Nicolas de Grigny’s richly colored setting of the hymn Verbum supernum, whose intricate counterpoint casts a luminous prelude to Bach’s monumental Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, where a simple ground bass blossoms into soaring, interwoven voices. Two lighter English interludes—Peter Hurford’s engaging Two Dialogues and a newly composed chorale prelude by Martin himself, inspired by Bach’s chorale craftsmanship—offer moments of intimate contrast. Swiss composer Frank Martin’s powerful Passacaille then refracts Bach’s 18th-century design through a bold 20th-century harmonic prism, bridging eras in a single dramatic gesture. The recital concludes with Bach’s extraordinary Contrapunctus XI from The Art of Fugue, a masterwork of contrapuntal ingenuity that brings this horizon-spanning programme to a stirring close.

Venue Info