"Bach remains today what he has always been — the divine creator on his throne above the clouds, beyond the reach of others... It is this that makes him for us the greatest of all composers, the Homer of music, whose light still shines out across our musical firmament, and whom, in a very special sense, we have never surpassed."
Wilhelm Furtwaengler

"Not Brook but Ocean should be his name." (Bach is the German word for "brook")
Ludwig van Beethoven

The preconception that was generated in the twentieth century on the doubt over playing the harpsichord opera by Johann Sebastian Bach with the piano has been widely overcome, and has been proved invalid from the times of glorious interpreters such as Edwin Fischer and Rosalyn Tureck. The Ascona Music Festival in its 9th Edition: FOREVER BACH, presents a unique, varied and special program dedicated to the international audience who loves his music, and will be performed by great performers of European prestige.

Sonatas for Solo violin and with piano, Solo Cello Suites and Viola Sonatas and Piano Sonatas, many works for solo harpsichord, great transcriptions of the Organ Chorales by Busoni, the Ciaccona transcribed by Brahms for the left hand and Piano Concertos with orchestra, precursors of the great repertoire for piano and orchestra, they form part of a very rich program for all 5 Concerts featured in this season.

Included in the programme is also a special concert dedicated to two of Bach's 'Devotees': SCHUMANN & CHOPIN. The recital will take place on Friday 8th June to celebrate the 208th Anniversary of Robert Schumann’s birth. 

This series of concerts will make the Church of the Collegio Papio in Ascona shine, where everyone is invited to listen and enjoy the most sublime music that is perennially enlightening and which reaffirms the title of this season: FOREVER BACH.

In addition, there will be a series of Listening experiences featuring organ works and the Well-Tempered Clavier,  with superb recordings by the classical music label Edelweiss Emission, in the Church of SS. Pietro e Paolo in Ascona.

Five extraordinary concerts with prestigious musicians such as Daniel Levy, Stephan Rieckhoff, Robert Zimansky, Andreas Laake and the Camerata dei Castelli.