Bach’s Musical Offering

The Friends presents a fascinating program in collaboration with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. An exceptional cast of seven artists, including harpsichordist Kenneth Weiss, one of today’s foremost interpreters of Bach, offers a rare performance of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Musical Offering — a work that stands at the summit of contrapuntal art. Written in 1747 on a theme given to Bach by Frederick the Great, the collection unfolds as a series of ricercars, canons, and a trio sonata, each exploring the expressive and intellectual possibilities of a single musical idea. The program continues with music by Johann Sebastian’s sons — Johann Christian, Carl Philipp Emanuel, and Wilhelm Friedemann — revealing how this extraordinary musical legacy evolved from one generation to the next, and how each son defined himself in relation to their father’s immense example. Kenneth Weiss, harpsichord Bella Hristova, violin Sean Lee, violin Matthew Lipman, viola Dmitri Atapine, viola Sooyun Kim, flute James Austin Smith, oboe