BACH. SCHUBERT. SCHUMANN

Summer Classics presents: BACH. SCHUBERT. SCHUMANN

Orchestra and Organ Music in Riga’s Historic St. John’s Church

The Summer Classics concert series by Orchestra RIGA continues in August 2026 with an evening dedicated to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, Robert Schumann, and Franz Schubert, presented in St. John’s Church, Riga – one of the city’s most remarkable medieval landmarks and an acclaimed venue for classical and organ music.

Located in the heart of Riga Old Town, the 13th-century church combines Late Gothic and Renaissance architecture with exceptional acoustics and an intimate atmosphere, making it a distinctive setting for classical music performances.

Performed by Orchestra RIGA with renowned Latvian organist Aigars Reinis under the direction of conductor Atvars Lakstīgala, the concert brings together orchestra and organ in a programme spanning the Baroque and Romantic eras.

Bringing together three composers whose works have profoundly shaped European musical tradition, the programme follows a journey from Bach’s architectural mastery of the Baroque and intricate counterpoint to the expressive lyricism of Schumann and the timeless beauty of Schubert’s celebrated Unfinished Symphony. Schumann’s admiration for Bach is reflected in his Six Fugues on the Name B-A-C-H, creating a compelling musical dialogue between the Baroque and the Romantic period.

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach
Fantasia in G major, BWV 572
Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 (arr. Donald Hunsberger)

Robert Schumann
Fugue No. 3 Mit sanften Stimmen from Six Fugues on the Name B-A-C-H, Op. 60
Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op. 15 (arr. Hans-Volker Mass Kiless)
Sketch No. 3 Lebhaft from Four Sketches, Op. 58

Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 in B minor, Unfinished Symphony, D 759 (arr. B. Voļaks)

Performers

Orchestra RIGA
Aigars Reinis – organ
Atvars Lakstīgala – conductor

Concert Information

BACH. SCHUBERT. SCHUMANN

25 August 2026, at 7 PM
St. John’s Church, Riga, Latvia

Part of Riga’s summer cultural programme, the closing concert of the Summer Classics series combines internationally celebrated repertoire with the unique atmosphere of Riga Old Town and the exceptional acoustics of St. John’s Church, offering an evening of Baroque and Romantic masterworks performed by Orchestra RIGA and one of Latvia’s leading concert organists.

Tickets

• at Biļešu Paradīze box offices;
• online;
• and at St. John’s Church one hour before the concert (subject to availability).