Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

"Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" ("Savior of the nations, come!") is an Advent hymn written by Martin Luther in 1524, based on the 12th-century hymn "Veni redemptor gentium" by Saint Ambrose. This text is the focus of our concert, in a program featuring Bach, Buxtehude and Telemann, three masters who knew each other very well.

In 1705, the young Bach made a pilgrimage to Lübeck to listen to Buxtehude. For this trip, he was granted an exceptional authorization to be absent for four weeks - which ultimately lasted four months, and got him into a bit of trouble when he returned to work! As for Telemann, he formed a close friendship with Bach from the very start of their respective careers, so much so that Johann Sebastian asked him to become godfather to his second son, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. 

Beyond these close biographical ties between the composers, this concert will be an opportunity for Les Arts Florissants to share with the Fontevraud public an hour of music specially composed for the Advent season, in the company of these supreme masters of the great Lutheran musical tradition of the 18th century.

Paul Agnew