Name: Bach Birthday Philadelphia
Start: 2026-03-21T15:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-03-21T18:00:00-04:00
Location: First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia

Bach Birthday Philadelphia

The First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia

Celebrate Bach’s birthday with an afternoon of organ, harpsichord, & chamber music, concluding with the Goldberg Variations.

First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia

Join us for a Bach Birthday Philadelphia, an immersive celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach featuring acclaimed performers and historic instruments. The afternoon showcases organ masterworks, chamber music for traverso and harpsichord, and culminates with a complete performance of the Goldberg Variations.Performed on the 1783 Eben Organ, our large sanctuary organ, and period instruments, this event offers a rare opportunity to hear Bach’s music as it was meant to sound—rich, expressive, and deeply human.One of the highlights of this year’s Bach birthday celebration is one of the very first performances in Philadelphia of two recently discovered works by Johann Sebastian Bach: the Chaconne and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 1178, and the Chaconne in G Minor, BWV 1179. These remarkable pieces will be performed by Bálint Karosi, 1st prize winner of the 2008 J. S. Bach Competition in Leipzig.The celebration continues the next day (March 22) with Bach’s Cantata BWV 150 at the 11 am worship service.On-street parking is available with <a href="https://fpcphila.org/s/placard.pdf" title="https://fpcphila.org/s/placard.pdf" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">placard</a>.

Program

Sonata in D minor, BWV 964 after the violin Sonata in A minor; 
Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein, BWV 734

Organ Recital - Historic 1783 Eben Organ

Selections from Clavier-Übung II & III, including:
Italian Concerto, BWV 971; Kyrie settings BWV 672–674;
Dies sind die heil’gen zehn Gebot, BWV 679;
Aus tiefer Not, BWV 686 & 687

Clavier-Übung Selections - 1783 Eben Organ & 2000 Reuter Organ

Sonata in E Minor for Flute and Harpsichord, BWV 1034; Sonata in A Minor after Johann Adam Reincken's Hortus Musicus (1688) BWV 965; Sonata in B Minor for Flute and Harpsichord, BWV 1030

Chamber Music

Goldberg Variations BWV 988

The conclusion of Philly’s Bach Birthday is the in-worship performance of Bach’s Cantata BWV 150 Nach dir, Herr, ich verlanget mich, on Sunday March 22, 2026 at  the 11 am worship service by the First Presbyterian Choir and Period Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Bálint Karosi.


Bach's Cantata BWV150 (Sunday March 22 at  the 11 am worship service)

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Bach Birthday Philadelphia

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Bach Birthday Philadelphia

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