This mini-conference, titled "Bach, a European Ahead of His Time," invites audiences to explore the surprisingly cosmopolitan origins of Bach's musical language. Often celebrated as the quintessential German master, Bach was in fact a tireless student of European styles from across the continent.
Presented by harpsichordist and scholar Luc Beauséjour, the lecture examines how Bach drew on French grandeur — as exemplified by Lully and Couperin — alongside Italian virtuosity from Vivaldi and Corelli, while also rooting himself in the German organ and chorale traditions.
Attendees will discover how Bach reworked Vivaldi's concertos, adapted French overture forms, and ultimately fused these disparate influences into a wholly original voice. The talk paints a portrait of Bach as curious, open-minded, and culturally European long before the concept of a unified Europe took political shape.
The event takes place on December 3, 2026 at 15:15 at the Off-Festival Bach venue, located at 3487 Boul. Saint-Laurent, Montreal.