Media Release

Dartington International Summer School announces the first performance played on instruments authentic to the period for 300 years of CPE Bach's St John Passion

Dartington's International Summer School is famous as being a venue where both new works and existing well treasured pieces are performed at the weekly concerts which mark the end of each week of intensive study and collaboration between students and tutors.

This year will provide a truly unique opportunity as the Summer School Choir marks the tercentenary of the birth of CPE Bach by performing his 1784 setting of the St John Passionon 'instruments authentic to the period'and as it was intended to be heard - something that has not been done for over 300 years. The English tenor Charles Daniels, who is particularly noted for his performances of baroque music, will be singing the role of the Evangelist.

Carl Philipp Emanuel - one of JS Bach's 20 children - was one of the foremost composers of the 18th Century and his work is described as full of fantasy and invention, once eclipsing that of his illustrious father; when Mozart wrote "Bach is the father - we are the children", it was to the younger Bach he was referring. However, CPE Bach is now almost completely overshadowed by the reputation of his father.

CPE Bach's Passions were never published in his lifetime, and survive only in manuscript form. His 1784 St John Passion, long thought lost, was re-discovered only a few years ago in a library in Ukraine. The work was transcribed by Kirill Karabits as part of his studies and Kirill recently performed his own new edition of this missing work with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Singers.

The Dartington Concert, which takes place on Friday, 1 August at 7.45pm in the Great Hall and will be conducted by Andrew Griffiths who has conducted productions for The Royal Opera and Opera North, and is frequently invited to direct broadcasts with the BBC Singers, as well as singing as a member of Stile Antico. The programme will be completed by JS Bach's sunniest motet, Lobet den Herm, and masterpieces by two under-appreciated composers, Agostino Steffani's superb Stabat Mater and a festive Magnificat by Jan Dismas Zelenka.

Nicholas Daniel, this year's Artistic Director for the Summer School, said,"I am really pleased that a major work by the great composer CPE Bach, who celebrates his tercentenary this year, will have its first performance in a few hundred years on instruments appropriate to the period at Dartington this Summer. This is a typical example of how the school can give an unique educational and musical experience to our participants, breaking new ground and bringing important works back to the light of day, whether they be 25 or 250 years old."

Tickets are priced at £18.50 (reserved) or £14 (unreserved) and will be available for the concert which takes place on Friday 1 August from the Box Office, T/: 01803 847070

Further details:www.dartington.org/whats-onor E/:sue.wiles@dartington.org

Further press information and high res images: Jane Adkins, A Head for PR Ltd, T/: 01935 813114 or E/:jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

June 2014