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Angela Hewitt Plays Bach

Part of the York Concerts 2025/2026

Add to my Calendar 04-02-2026 19:30 04-02-2026 21:30 36 Angela Hewitt Plays Bach Angela Hewitt’s interpretations of Bach have established her as one of the composer’s foremost interpreters of our time and one of the world’s greatest living pianists. The Sunday Times hailed her award-winning cycle for Hyperion Records of Bach’s major keyboard works as ‘one of the record glories of our age’. An all-Bach programme opens with the dramatic Toccata in D from the composer’s seven ‘manualiter’ toccatas. Bach’s Suites for harpsichord, BWV 812–817, were not given the name ‘French’ until twelve years after his death. It is often said that the composer’s six English Suites are more French in style than the French Suites and that the French Suites are, if anything, more Italian, blending various European styles from the period. One of his best-loved keyboard works, Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor was already popular during his lifetime. The highly virtuosic and chromatic piece explores the characteristics of different musical keys. The programme’s second half begins with Bach’s bright and joyful Fifth Partita, which starts relatively simply before concluding with a notably demanding double fugue. Bach’s Italian Concerto is one of his most popular works and was inspired by Venetian composers such as Vivaldi. Bach uses the contrasting forte and piano manuals of a two-manual harpsichord to create the effect of alternating between solo and tutti sections. The final piece in the concert also begins in the concerto style before a virtuosic four-part fugue draws the programme to a close with a toccata-like cadenza. Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, York DD/MM/YYYY

Details

Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall
University of York
York
YO10 5DD
England

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach – Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 894
Johann Sebastian Bach – Partita no.5 in G major for keyboard, BWV 829
Johann Sebastian Bach – Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903
Johann Sebastian Bach – French Suite no.5 in G major, BWV 816
Johann Sebastian Bach – Toccata in D major, BWV 912

Performers

Angela Hewitt – piano

Other concerts in this Cycle ▼

Roderick Williams & Carducci Quartet

Bach’s Goldberg Variations

The 24 & The Lyons Mouth

University Symphony Orchestra

Octandre Ensemble

Jess Gillam Ensemble at Christmas

University Choir & The 24

I Fagiolini at 40

University Chamber Orchestra

Fenella Humphreys & Joseph Tong

University Symphony Orchestra

Helen Charlston & Sholto Kynoch

Handel: Majesty and Fireworks

The Chimera Ensemble

University Choir & Symphony Orchestra

Programme Note

Angela Hewitt’s interpretations of Bach have established her as one of the composer’s foremost interpreters of our time and one of the world’s greatest living pianists. The Sunday Times hailed her award-winning cycle for Hyperion Records of Bach’s major keyboard works as ‘one of the record glories of our age’.

An all-Bach programme opens with the dramatic Toccata in D from the composer’s seven ‘manualiter’ toccatas. Bach’s Suites for harpsichord, BWV 812–817, were not given the name ‘French’ until twelve years after his death. It is often said that the composer’s six English Suites are more French in style than the French Suites and that the French Suites are, if anything, more Italian, blending various European styles from the period. One of his best-loved keyboard works, Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor was already popular during his lifetime. The highly virtuosic and chromatic piece explores the characteristics of different musical keys.

The programme’s second half begins with Bach’s bright and joyful Fifth Partita, which starts relatively simply before concluding with a notably demanding double fugue. Bach’s Italian Concerto is one of his most popular works and was inspired by Venetian composers such as Vivaldi. Bach uses the contrasting forte and piano manuals of a two-manual harpsichord to create the effect of alternating between solo and tutti sections. The final piece in the concert also begins in the concerto style before a virtuosic four-part fugue draws the programme to a close with a toccata-like cadenza.

Angela Hewitt Plays Bach

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