Exploring Bach's cantatas
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- Start Date: 15 Jan 2026End Date: 26 Mar 2026Thu (Daytime): 14:00 - 16:00In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 10 sessions (over -11 weeks)Course Code: MD815Tutors: Edward BreenFull fee £269.00 Senior fee £215.00 Concession £188.00
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What is the course about?
Through case studies from Bach’s Leipzig works, we will focus our studies on chorale cantatas for use between Epiphany and Easter Sunday 1725. This will involve background reading, discussion and score following in class time.
What will we cover?
Topics will include:
• What is a cantata and how is it structured
• Case study: an early cantata Christ Lag in Todes Banden (BWV 4) 1707?
• And overview of Bach’s biography with a focus on his early years in Leipzig
• Bach’s performing forces in Leipzig and questions of historically informed performance
• Case studies of cantatas from the period Epiphany to Easter 1725.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- talk about Bach’s biography with enhanced confidence and knowledge
- Identify key features of different styles of Bach’s church cantatas
- Display an overview of Bach literature and feel confident in pursuing further reading
- Follow cantata texts and hear key moments of word-setting in Bach’s music
- Follow cantata scores (optional, if you are a music-reader).
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for anyone with an interest in listening to music and who wishes to find out more about the history of music scores. We will look at various scores and historical documents during this course.
• You need to be able to follow basic music notation to participate in these activities.
• All texts will be in English, or accompanied by an English translation.
• You can access further course materials online though Google Classroom during the course.
• You must use Google classroom if you wish to access all the class materials and extra reading.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
- Tutor presentation
- Short homework tasks
- Guided listening / watching of musical interviews and performances
- Study selected music samples
- Group discussion.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You may also wish to purchase some of the music books or recordings discussed in class, links to these materials will be available online after each session.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
To find out more about music history classes Music history courses in London and online which lists our full programme of classes ordered by term, and by day of the week. You may then click on each title to read the full course outline.
Edward teaches music history and theory at City lit. His specialism is early music (medieval, renaissance and baroque) and he completed a PhD in historical musicology at King's College London (2013) on the performance of medieval music. Outside of teaching, Edward is a regular contributor to Gramophone magazine and has lectured for Dartington International Summer School, London's Southbank Centre and The British Library. He has also worked as a researcher for BBC Proms and written for the journal Early Music (OUP). His essays are published in: The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Historical Performance in Music, (Cambridge University Press); The Montpellier Codex: Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Music 16 (Boydell Press); Recomposing the Past: Representations of Early Music on Stage and Screen (Ashgate 2018); and 30-Second Classical Music (Ivy Press).
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
