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Het Bach Koor Holland (The Holland Bach Choir; Bachkoor Holland) was founded in 1921 by Johan Schoonderbeek to serve as the choir of the Netherlands Bach Society. In 1927 Evert Cornelis took over the direction of the choir. After Cornelis its most important conductors have been Anton van der Horst and Charles de Wolff. The choir became an independent unit at the beginning of 1983.
Featuring prominently in the extensive repertoire of the Holland Bach Choir are J.S. Bach's B minor Mass (BWV 232), Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248), St. John Passion (BWV 245), and St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244). Also in the repertoire are compositions by Maurice Duruflé, Milhaud, Luigi Dallapiccola, Arthur Honegger, Georg Frideric Handel, and Alessandro Scarlatti. The choir is made up of professional and semi-professional vocalists and has long had a close relationship with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, an ensemble made up of members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The Holland Bach Choir has also worked closely with the Hague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Northern Philharmonic Orchestra.
Over the years the Holland Bach Choir has made various concert tours in Germany and Denmark and has performed in the Swiss Bach Festival and the Festival of Helsinki. In 1984, at the Festival of Lille, the Holland Bach Choir performed J.S. Bach's B minor Mass (BWV 232) with the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra.. It also frequently performs in radio and television broadcasts. |
