Early in the morning, the Oude Kerk is a meditative oasis in the city. Since 2017, on every first Friday of the month at 8 a.m., when the rising sun casts its light through the church’s towering windows and the neighbourhood slowly wakes up, visitors can enjoy the Silence music programme. The concerts celebrate the acoustics and space of the Oude Kerk, which invites mostly young, experimental musicians. There are no fixed seats; visitors are welcome to walk around and discover what the music sounds like in different places in the church.

The 40th edition of the morning Silence series featured renowned accordionist Vincent van Amsterdam. The programme included Bach's famous Goldberg Variations.

Van Amsterdam recorded the Goldberg Variations in 2019. Not on harpsichord or piano, but on his accordion, the instrument he has been creating a furore with for years. The many short movements allowed him to exploit all the accordion's possibilities, from whisper-soft to exuberant. The Goldberg Variations are a 80-minute musical journey with 32 variations on a theme.

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Instruments

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