New Bach Collegium Musicum Leipzig

The Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum Leipzig is a chamber orchestra founded by members of the Gewandhausorchester, whose activities are rooted in Leipzig's musical tradition and in the performance of Baroque repertoire. Its particularly rich discography, closely associated with Johann Sebastian Bach and his contemporaries, continued with Leipzig Collegium Musicum: Vol. 1, Music Before Bach, released in 2026, an album exploring Leipzig's musical landscape before Bach's arrival in the city. Founded in 1979 by Walter Heinz Bernstein and Max Pommer, the ensemble brings together instrumentalists around a project devoted to the music of Bach and the tradition of Leipzig's Collegia Musica. Its name refers to the Collegium Musicum founded by Telemann in the early 18th century and directed by Bach from 1729. Under Pommer's direction, the ensemble quickly developed a substantial recording career. In 1981, it accompanied the Cantatas, BWV 140, 61, and 36 by Bach on an album recorded with the Thomanerchor Leipzig under the direction of Hans-Joachim Rotzsch. The ensemble's work on Bach continued in the following years with Solo Concertos - Reconstructions, a three-volume series conducted by Pommer. Among the recordings made during Pommer's tenure was Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080, released in 1994. Pommer stepped down as the ensemble's director in 1987, and he was succeeded the following year by Burkhard Glaetzner, who broadened its repertoire to include Classical music. From 2003 to 2013, Albrecht Winter led the ensemble, with a renewed focus on Bach, Vivaldi, Telemann, and Bach's sons, among others. Between 2009 and 2011, the ensemble also reconstructed several programs previously performed at the Gewandhaus 225 years earlier, drawing on historical documents. Since 2005, the orchestra has organized the Bachische Abendmusicken series in collaboration with the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig, held in the ceremonial hall of the Old Town Hall. Following several years of collaboration with different conductors, the ensemble has worked with Reinhard Goebel since 2020, and he became its artistic director in 2021. ~ Islem Meghiref, Rovi