Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela hosts BachCompostela on 12 November
Published on 10/18/2026 at 00:14 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Catedral de Santiago de Compostela) will host the second BachCompostela concert on 12 November 2026 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Organist Juan de la Rubia will perform the programme Prestado y transformado - The Art of Transcription on the cathedral's Mascioni organ.
BachCompostela returns to the cathedral on 12 November
The concert is part of BachCompostela, a cycle presenting the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach in 21 concerts. The cathedral's official programme lists 12 November 2026 at 9pm and identifies the Platerías Door as the access point. Its official concert programme places the event on the Mascioni organ inside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
The second programme includes works by Bach connected with earlier music by Johann Friedrich Fasch, Johann Ernst and Antonio Vivaldi. It also lists pieces from the Schübler Chorales, as well as Bach's Prelude and Fugue in D minor and Sonata in E minor. The cycle's organiser names de la Rubia as its performer and describes the series as coinciding with the Holy Year of Compostela 2027.
The Mascioni organ links the concert to the building's musical history
The concert's setting is not a temporary hall but the cathedral's Mascioni organ, which the organiser identifies as marking its 50th anniversary during the 2026-2028 cycle. That link gives the November programme a direct connection with the building: the event is both a Bach recital and a presentation of a named instrument within a major pilgrimage church.
The cathedral forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage property Santiago de Compostela (Old Town). UNESCO describes the historic centre as a pilgrimage site centred on the tomb of Saint James and the cathedral, with Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings. Its account also identifies the Pórtico de la Gloria as a major feature of the cathedral. The World Heritage description is available through UNESCO's site profile.
What the November concert adds to a pilgrimage visit
For visitors in Santiago de Compostela, BachCompostela creates a fixed cultural appointment inside the same building associated with the end of the Way of St James. The 12 November recital is the second listed date in a programme that continues beyond 2026, so it can be planned as a separate evening event rather than treated as part of the cathedral's ordinary visit.
Visiting Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The BachCompostela concert takes place on 12 November 2026 at Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, with the official programme listing 9pm and access through the Platerías Door.
- The event is an organ recital by Juan de la Rubia, and the programme is titled Prestado y transformado - The Art of Transcription.
- The venue is in Santiago de Compostela's historic centre, within the UNESCO-listed Old Town. The cathedral is linked to the tomb of Saint James and the Pórtico de la Gloria.
- The surrounding Old Town has narrow streets and a mixture of Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque buildings, as described by UNESCO. Visitors should expect a historic urban setting rather than a modern concert complex.
- Spanish and Galician are used locally, and Spain's national currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela
When does BachCompostela take place at Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela?
The second concert takes place on 12 November 2026 at 9pm, with access through the Platerías Door.
What is BachCompostela at Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela?
It is a 21-concert cycle presenting the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach on the cathedral's Mascioni organ from October 2026 to December 2028.
Where is Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and how do you get there?
The cathedral is in Santiago de Compostela's historic centre in north-west Spain. The concert programme identifies the Platerías Door as the access point.
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