Bach Cantata Choir
2009-10 Season
All Concerts at Rose City Park Presbyterian Church, NE 44th and Sandy, Portland
Oregon; All Concerts are free (with free-will offering) unless otherwise noted.
Sunday, November 1 2pm; Silent Auction Follows
G.F. Handel: (1685-1759) Chandos Anthem #9
“O Praise the Lord with one Consent”
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Cantata #147: Herz und Mund und Tat
und Leben -- “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”
Friday, December 18, 2009 7:30pm
Tickets required $22 adult, $17 Student/senior
Tickets on sale September 1. www.boxofficetickets.com
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741): “Gloria”
J. S. Bach: “Christmas Oratorio”, parts 4-6
Sunday, February 7, 2010 2pm “SuperBach” Sunday
Works by Johannes Ockeghem (1410-1497)
and Jacob Clemens (1510-1555)
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643): Ave Maris Stella
(from “Vespers of 1610”)
J.S. Bach: Cantata #18, Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee vom
Himmel fällt
Johann Schelle (1648-1701): Cantata:
Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele
Sunday, March 14, 2010 2pm Lenten Concert
Gregorio Allegri: (1582-1652) Miserere
J.S. Bach: Cantata #156, Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe!
J.S. Bach: Cantata #182, Himmelskönig, sei willkommen
Sunday, April 25, 2010 2pm
J. S. Bach: Violin Concerto in E Major (Mary Rowell, soloist)
Salamone Rossi: (1570-1630) Hallelyah
W.F. Bach: (1710-1784) Cantata:
Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchtet
J.S. Bach: Motet #5, Komm, Jesu Komm
Ralph’s “Highlights” of the 2009-2010 Season
November 1: This concert is an anniversary tribute (250th anniversary of death)
to Handel, and the first time BCC has performed any of this other great Baroque
composer’s works. The “Chandos Anthem” is one of 12 anthems he wrote for
smaller forces – but is actually a “big” piece – you’ll notice the “Doxology” right off
the bat in the beginning – it’s a good one to start the year. Also on the program
features one of the most famous cantatas – #147, which has the “Jesu, Joy of Man’s
Desiring” chorale. Silent Auction follows.
December: I’ve wanted to do Vivaldi’s “Gloria” ever since we started the group –
this is paired with parts 4-6 of Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio”.
February 7 – this is the most eclectic, bizarre, and fun program of the year. First,
you will see the “anniversary theme” – 1410 for Ockeghem, 1510 for Clemens, and
then 1610 for Monteverdi. The 1610 Vespers is a HUGE work (1 hours 45 minutes)
and very difficult – but the “Ave Maris Stella” movement is about 5 minutes and I
think will give the audience a “taste” of this very important choral work. Bach’s
“Cantata #18” is the cantata written for this actual Sunday – and it has the unusual
instrumentation of 4 violas and 2 recorders. Johann Schelle was Cantor in Leipzig
before Kuhnau (who was before Bach) – this is a big work with trumpets and
tympani – somewhat like the Bruhns piece we did this year.
March 14 – Lent. Those of you who know the Allergri “Miserere” will know what
you’re in for! This famous work has remained sealed in the Sistine Chapel to this
day – generally performed on Good Friday, and is a closely guarded secret of the
Vatican. However, Mozart when he was 17 heard the work and wrote it down from
memory, and that is the copy we have today. (Mozart heard it once again in his life
and made a couple of corrections – as far as we know, it matches exactly). The
other cantatas are also very interesting -- #156 has the very odd translation “I Stand
with One Foot in the Grave” – a work “perfect” only for the Lenten season – BUT,
you should know that the opening Sinfonia is a very famous “aria” by Bach (if you
remember the Orsen Wells wine commercials “no wine before its time” – it is that
theme). Cantata 182 is the only cantata that Bach wrote for Palm Sunday – it’s
joyous work with three wonderful chorus movements.
April 25: We’ve tried to feature an instrumental solo each year – this time I’ve
asked Mary Rowell to play a violin concerto (Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major);
Salamone Rossi was a FASCINATING Jewish composer of the early Baroque
working in Italy. The “Hallelyah” is for double choir. You will note that one of the
Bach sons has an anniversary – Wilhelm Friedemann (Bach’s eldest son) was born
300 years ago in 1710 – as we’ve discussed before, Wilhelm was very talented but
didn’t write down much at all (i.e. improvised) – so we have very few of his works,
and this cantata is only recently published by Carus Verlag in Germany – I am
certain we are doing the Portland/West Coast Premiere, maybe even the American
Premiere. Finally, we end with one of J.S. Bach;s best-known motets, “Komm, Jesu
Komm”.
Bach Cantata Choir - Concerts
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