Köthen Bach Festival 2026 — „Community”

Köthen — Bach's „happiest time”

Between 1717 and 1723, Johann Sebastian Bach was Kapellmeister at the court of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen. Here, in the small residential town between Dessau and Halle, he wrote the Brandenburg Concertos, the Cello Suites, the Violin Sonatas, and large parts of the early Well-Tempered Clavier. Bach himself later called the Köthen years his „happiest time”.

The Köthen Bach Festival has been celebrating this legacy annually since 1935. Venues include the Castle Church St. Jakob, the Hall of Mirrors in the Castle, the St. Agnus Church, and other historic spaces in Köthen. In 2026, around 40 events are planned — under the motto „Community”.

The Motto 2026: Community

„Around 40 events in diverse formats show that every voice counts” — as the organizers themselves put it. The motto is programmatic: In Köthen, Bach often focused on the interplay between soloist and ensemble, between individual voice and the greater whole. In 2026, this idea will be particularly highlighted — from chamber music Bach programs and school projects (200 children playing with professionals) to interfaith encounters.

Highlight Concerts

Among the outstanding program points are:

• Opening Concert (September 2nd) with soprano Miriam Feuersinger and the Köthener BachCollektiv at St. Agnus Church
• Cello Cycle (September 5th/6th) with Jean-Guihen Queyras, who will perform the complete Bach Solo Suites over two evenings
• Piano recitals with Alexander Melnikov
• Compositions of the present day by Caroline Shaw
• „Sing Bach!” — 200 schoolchildren together with professional musicians
• „A Celebration for Paul Gerhardt” (September 3rd): Word and music from the 17th century
• „Bach vs. Handel” (September 5th): a competitive concert format
• Four concerts featuring works by the Dessau composer Friedrich Wilhelm Rust

Köthen in the State of Saxony-Anhalt

Köthen (Anhalt) is a medium-sized town in the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, located between the former Anhalt residences of Dessau and Bernburg. The Köthen Castle is the largest preserved Renaissance castle of the former Principality of Anhalt-Köthen — and has been the main venue for the Bach Festival since Bach's time. It is also the Hahnemann town: the founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, lived and worked here.