Competition preview: What to know before the International Bach Competition results

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The 24th International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition in Leipzig, Germany, began with 238 cellists, organists and singers. In the semi-finals, 41 of these – from twelve countries – remained. They have now been whittled down to just 18 finalists, six of which are cellists. From 16 July onwards, the participants, jury and audiences have been treated to a celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music, alongside works ranging from both before and after the legendary composer’s time. Here’s what you need to know in the lead-up to the cello final’s resuts.

Schedule

Following a pre-selection round, the participants arrived in Leipzig on 16 July for the opening ceremony. The first round took place from 17 to 19 July and second round (semi-finals) from 22 to 23 July. The cello finals will take place at Leipzig’s Protestant Reformed Church on 26 July. The results will be announced at 9pm that evening, followed by an award ceremony and prizewinners’ concert at the Old Town Hall and St Thomas Church, respectively, on 27 July. 

Participants

The cello finalists are (in performance order): Victor García García, 30, from Spain; Bartolomeo Dandolo Marchesi, 30, from Italy; Jakob Solle, 22, from Germany; Guillem Gràcia Soler, 18, from Spain; Johannes Gray, 27, from the US; and Léo Ispir, 22, from France. They will play on a mixture of Baroque, piccolo and modern cellos and the finals will begin at 10am. Several finalists are already laureates of major competitions.

Repertoire

The cellists have had to present Bach Solo Cello Suites at every stage of the competition. In the pre-selection, first and second rounds, they chose from either the First, Second or Third Suites (either played in full or selected movements, depending on the round). In the finals, they will have the choice of the latter three suites. The competition ’strongly recommends that Bach’s instructions for the Fifth and Sixth Suites (scordatura/five-string cello) be respected’. 

Other composers have also featured in each round, with works ranging from sonatas to concertos. The composers include: Jean-Louis Duport (1749–1819), Anton Kraft (1749–1820), Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788), Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) and Michael Haydn (1737–1806). 

Prizes

The contestants are competing for a €10,000 first prize. Other prizes include a €7,500 second prize, €5,000 third prize, €1,000 Special Prize of the Christa Bach-Marschall Foundation, Genuin Classics award, €500 audience prize and Bärenreiter Urtext Prize. The winner will also receive concert engagements, such as playing at the Leipzig Bach Festival.

The competition

The International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition is held every two years in the following alternating disciplines: piano, harpsichord and violin/Baroque violin; and organ, voice, violoncello/Baroque violoncello. The competition’s president is Robert Levin and it is organised by the Bach-Archiv Leipzig foundation, in cooperation with University of Music and Theatre ’Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’ Leipzig. 

Notable cellist laureates include France’s Marc Coppey, who won the 1988 edition, and Ophélie Gaillard, who won third place in the 1998 edition.

Jury

The 2024 jury comprises Phoebe Carrai, Timothy Eddy, Ophélie Gaillard, Robert Levin, Jens Peter Maintz, Werner Matzke, Hidemi Suzuki and Pieter Wispelwey.

 

Good luck to all the finalists!