Ipswich's 'historic gem' to host Bach weekend

Why it matters: The Ipswich Bach Weekend, running from Friday, 16 October to Sunday, 18 October, offers what Jorge calls a "very rare" chance to hear the complete cycle live, and an opportunity to step inside a building organisers say many Ipswich residents have never visited.

The details: The weekend features three events at the Meeting House on Friars Street:

• Friday, 16 October, 19:00 – Bach I: From Solitude to Dance, the first half of the complete cycle.
• Saturday, 17 October, 20:00 – Bach After Dark: Stories, Music & Scandal from the Baroque, an 18+ evening of music and storytelling with harpist and storyteller Joy Smith.
• Sunday, 18 October, 13:00 – Bach II: Architecture & Light, the second half of the cycle, closing with the E major Partita.

For context: Jodi Warren, of the Friends of the Unitarian Meeting House committee, said the group was "keen to welcome people into the beautiful Grade I listed Meeting House, and promote the building and its history".

"Many residents of Ipswich have never been inside," she said, describing the weekend as "a wonderful opportunity to visit this historic gem".

She added: “Bach’s music and the Meeting House are from the same time period. The acoustics inside the wooden building are extraordinary and the splendour of the setting enhances the beauty of the music.”

What they're saying: Jorge described the complete cycle as the “Everest of violinism”, which violinists “don’t often dare to climb”.

“There is so much in them – intimacy, dance, architecture, virtuosity, silence, drama – and somehow Bach manages to create all of that with just one violin,” he said.

"Performing all six works is a very different experience from hearing one Sonata or Partita in isolation. The pieces start to speak to each other," he said.

Jorge also encouraged those new to classical music to come along: "I would really encourage people who don't normally go to classical concerts to come. You don't need to know anything about Bach, or about baroque music, to connect with this music."

"One of the things I love about playing Bach solo is that there is nowhere to hide. It is just one person, one violin and the audience," he added.

The bigger picture: Jorge, who lives in the region, said: "There are wonderful audiences here, and wonderful historic spaces, and I think early music can belong here just as much as it does in London or the major European festivals."

He described the weekend as "not just another recital", but "part of a bigger idea of making extraordinary music accessible locally".

"Bach in Ipswich is intended to grow from that idea: bringing great musicians and great early music into this remarkable historic building and making it part of the cultural life of the area," he added.

Tickets: Individual events cost £15 (£12 for Friends of the Unitarian Meeting House), while a weekend pass covering all three events costs £35 (£30 for Friends).

The bottom line: Whether you are a Bach devotee or have never been to a classical concert, the Ipswich Bach Weekend offers three very different ways into his music at one of the town’s historic buildings.

Tickets can be booked online via TicketSource or by calling 07580 441394.

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