Fasch Festival in Zerbst: Courtly sounds and street music up close!

Fasch Festival in Zerbst: Courtly sounds and street music up close!

On June 15, 2025, a special chapter of the Baroque era will be celebrated in Zerbst: The International Fasch Festival is once again a guest and promises a resounding panorama of courtly music. Johann Friedrich Fasch (1688–1758), the court conductor there and an important composer of his time, will be the focus. This festival has taken place every two years since 1991 and attracts renowned Baroque artists. With Isabel Schicketanz, Anke Dennert and the Lautten Compagney Berlin, the list of invited musicians is impressive. This year the Hamburger Ratsmusik is expected to be an artist in residence, exploring the connections between Fasch, Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Krieger. Concerti.de reports that the street music festival, inspired by the French “Fête de la Musique”, is considered a highlight.

The artists will present their own view of Johann Friedrich Fasch's direction and build on his tradition. The evening promises to be a grand finale with the performance of Fasch's “Fireworks Music” in front of Zerbst Castle.

Who was Johann Friedrich Fasch?

Fasch was not only a composer, but also a music teacher and court conductor who spent his life in Zerbst. His musical journey took him to Dresden in October 1726, where he stayed until Easter 1727 and composed Latin figural music for the Catholic court church. During this stay he had his works looked over by his childhood friend Johann David Heinichen, who was working as court music director in Dresden at the time. Fasch was known for his regular correspondence with Pietist circles, which brought him into conflict with the Lutheran Orthodox clergy. His marriage certificate to Johanna Helena Simers, whom he married on July 22, 1728 in Großkmehlen, is another historical document from his life. Fasch.net provides interesting insights into his biography, which is characterized by numerous musical works.

Fasch's music covers a wide range, including operas, sacred cantatas, masses and numerous instrumental works. His extensive work is currently being documented by the Internationale Fasch Gesellschaft e.V. in a new online directory, the “Fasch Repertory”. You can learn more about the progress of this project as Dr. Gottfried Gille already gave exciting insights as the main contributor and speaker during the international Fasch conference in 2013. Wikipedia summarizes the most important aspects of his life and work and shows how Fasch is still relevant as a composer today.

The festival as a stage for Fasch

The International Fasch Festival is more than just a festival; They are a homage to one of the greatest Baroque composers and serve to rediscover his work. The annual festivities allow musicians and visitors to experience and enjoy Fasch's works while promoting exchange and understanding of Baroque music. This year it is clear that the slow return to normality after the challenges of recent years will bring a particularly warm welcome to the participants. The perfect backdrop of Zerbst Castle in the evening light, coupled with the warm atmosphere of the event, makes the Fasch festival an unforgettable experience.