Double Espresso

In "Double Espresso", Musica Poetica treats you to Bach's coffee cantata (Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht, BWV 211) and its French counterpart Le Caffé by Nicolas Bernier in one programme-a double espresso, that is. Both works originated during the time of the great boom of coffee houses opening all over Europe. At least Bach's cantata was therefore performed in the Kaffehaus Zimmermann where Bach regularly organised performances. Since Bach's piece about Liesgen, the coffee-addicted daughter of Mr Schlendrian of Leipzig, is among the love pieces of today's audiences, we offer coffee lovers an entirely new flavour direction with Bernier's typically French Caffé.

The performance is complemented by dances (such as the specially composed Chaconne for Coffee Addicts) and entertaining anecdotes from the time of Europe's first coffee houses. (In England, for example, a movement of women against serving coffee arose in the second half of the 17th century, but more on that in the performance).

We look forward to hearing what you think.