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Next Appenzeller Bachtage Festival: 21 to 25 August 2024

We look forward to seeing you there!

Appenzeller Bachtage 2024: “Bach’s workshop”

We want to give you early notice about the next Appenzeller Bachtage festival, which will take place from 21 to 25 August 2024 in the towns of Teufen, Stein and Gais. The theme is “Bach’s workshop”, and among our many plans for the event, we will transform a secular cantata into a sacred cantata – one that is yet to exist. A world premiere awaits!


Many thanks!

The mix of first-class concerts, prominent podiums, unconventional formats and local Appenzell colour went down very well with the visitors. Several dozen guests completed the entire programme. They were not even deterred by the continuous rain.

The main theme of the five-day festival was "light and dark". This was already intended for the Appenzell Bach Days 2020, which had to be cancelled due to corona. In view of the current world situation, however, the motto was more topical than ever and flowed into various events. For example, at the philosophical salon with Peter Sloterdijk. Or at a panel discussion with the German philosopher and author Svenja Flaßpöhler and the Swiss defence lawyer Valentin Landmann.

Contrasting highlights were set by the top-class concerts. Visitors could choose from a wealth of styles and instrumentation sizes. Two of the highlights: the famously performing Carmina Quartet and a harpsichord evening with Masaato and Masaki Suzuki. The audience experienced the virtuoso keyboard playing of the father and son duo at close quarters - and two likeable world stars who clearly felt at home in the Lindensaal in Teufen.

The choir and orchestra of the J. S. Bach Foundation under the direction of Rudolf Lutz were also excellent. This was not only the case in the performance of the cantata "Es erhub sich ein Streit", but also in the great opening concert in the Tonhalle St. Gallen with the "Paukenmesse" by Haydn and the "Eroica" by Beethoven.

Co-sponsor of the Appenzell Bach Days is the J. S. Bach Foundation St. Gallen, which has supported the public performance, recording and dissemination of the complete vocal works of J. S. Bach in Eastern Switzerland since 2006. The festival is organised by J. S. Bach St. Gallen AG, a wholly-owned, non-profit subsidiary of the Foundation, which manages the concert and publishing operations on its behalf.

Information about Rudolf Lutz, Choir & Orchestra of the J.S. Bach Foundation, the participants and the organising committee can be found here.