In Johann Sebastian Bach's day, Zimmermann's Coffee House in Leipzig was the place to hear new music by some of Europe's top composers. Coffee drinking was all the rage and Zimmermann's was an informal venue where on Friday evenings, Bach would stop in to conduct the Collegium Musicum, or Musical Society, founded by his predecessor Telemann.
Zimmermann's also played a part in the history of Bach's Coffee Cantata (BWV 211), a work that amusingly tells of an addiction to coffee.
Sadly, the original Zimmermann Coffee House was destroyed during World War II. But we've created our own informal coffee-and-performance venue at WQXR. Listen below to highlights from the Café Concert series featuring the music of J.S. Bach.
