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family and youth events
Mathematics in Music: Bach, the Mathematician
12 December 2021, Sunday
10 am - 12 pm
one interval
Festival Theatre
Produced by Müpa Budapest
Matinée Concerts


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Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

J. S. Bach

Prelude and Fugue in C minor (Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Volume 2), BWV 871

J. S. Bach

Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079 - excerpt from the three-part Ricercar

J. S. Bach

Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079 - Canones diversi super Thema Regium: Canon a 2 (cancrizans); Canon a 2 Violini in unisono; Canon a 2, per motum contrarium; Canon a 2 per augmentationem, contrario motu

J. S. Bach

Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079 - Sonata sopr'il Soggetto Reale - II. Allegro

interval

J. S. Bach

„Ich bin in mir vergnügt” - cantata, BWV 204 - „Die Schätzbarkeit der weiten Erden”

J. S. Bach

Duet in F major, BWV 803

J. S. Bach

„Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott” - cantata, BWV 129 - „Gelobet sei der Herr, mein Gott” (aria)

A wealth of analysis and wild conspiracy theories has emerged over the centuries about the profound dedication with which Johann Sebastian Bach, the greatest Baroque composer of them all, was preoccupied with the science of numbers. Because while it may be just an urban legend that he was obsessed with the number fourteen, it is absolutely certain that he "invented” the musical version of the Möbius strip more than a hundred years before Möbius himself developed the concept.

It is nearly impossible not to talk about Bach in terms of superlatives: a good example of how significant his work is for all of humanity is the fact that the Voyager 1 probe, which was launched in 1977 and left our solar system in 2013, is carrying a golden record bearing excerpts from three of his works among its contents to introduce our world to any other civilizations that may exist out there somewhere. But interstellar perspectives aside, he was still a riveting figure; one only has to think of his encounter with the Prussian ruler Frederick the Great in 1747, after which he created a six-part fugue based on a theme supplied by the king. The Musikalisches Opfer brings joy to the hearts of mathematicians and astronomers who are highly familiar with the Möbius strip: one part begins the theme from the beginning and the other from the end while playing at the same time. The numerical symbolism, musical puzzles, mathematical editing and the mathematical organisation and precision hidden in Bach's music can be ascertained on this occasion by means of vocal and instrumental passages. In addition to the musicians, our companions on this adventurous journey spanning light years will be moderator Szilveszter Szélpál and musicologist Gergely Fazekas.

Age: 12-18 year

Presented by: Müpa Budapest

Featuring:

harpsichord, organ Dóra Pétery
baroque flute Benedek Csalog
baroque violin Ágnes Kertész
lute Igor Davidovics
moderator Szilveszter Szélpál
music expert Gergely Fazekas
soprano Adriána Kalafszky
baroque cello, viola da gamba Lúcia Krommer
  • We wish to inform you that in the event that Müpa Budapest's underground garage and outdoor car park are operating at full capacity, it is advisable to plan for increased waiting times when you arrive. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you depart for our events in time, so that you you can find the ideal parking spot quickly and smoothly and arrive for our performance in comfort. The Müpa Budapest underground garage gates will be operated by an automatic number plate recognition system. Parking is free of charge for visitors with tickets to any of our paid performances on that given day. The detailed parking policy of Müpa Budapest is available here.

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