London (Top40 Charts/ Cantamus Bach Choir & Orchestra of London) It is astonishing that, nearly 300 years after it was first performed, a sacred Christian work by a composer whose baroque creations were already going out of fashion should, to contemporary secular and religious audiences, still sound at one and the same time so fresh, so intricate, so intimate, so emotionally powerful - and, yes, so cool, so modern, so upbeat, so jazzy.
Bach's St John
Passion (BWV 245), first performed at the Good Friday Vespers service of 1724 at St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, is a 'must hear' work for the young of all ages, faiths, genders, cultures and tastes.
Anyone who loves soul-grabbing good music with overwhelmingly beautiful melody, drama, texture and rhythm should be sure to get themselves along to
All Saints Church Chigwell Row, Essex on Saturday 23rd March 2013 where the St John
Passion is being performed (in English) by the Cantamus Bach Choir & Orchestra of London.
"Cantamus, which recently celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a stunning performance of Messiah, has achieved an enviable reputation for its ensemble instrumental accuracy and interpretation quality, and its warmth, directness and emotional vocal communication, of classic choral works" says Dr Stephen Castell, its Patron.
Geoff Horsnell, the President of Cantamus adds, "The world-class scholarship and sensitivity of the direction of Dr
Peter Macdonald, noted baroque and early music maestro, and the Founder of Cantamus, can always be relied upon to deliver a performance that excites, entertains and grabs younger listeners with its relevance and modernity, without sacrificing any of the recapitulation of the values deserved by older audiences in honouring and delivering the profound pleasure, legacy and genius of Bach's immortal and moving music".
Full Details of the Concert
Bach's St John
Passion (English Translation).
ALL SAINTS CHURCH, Romford Road, Chigwell Row, Essex IG7 4QD.
Saturday 23rd March 2013 at 7:30pm.
Admission by Ticket £10.00 (concessions £8.50).
Tickets available from 020 8500 0914 and at the door.
Performed by the Cantamus Bach Choir & Orchestra of London
Leader: Tina Bowles Conductor:
Peter Macdonald
Patron: Dr Stephen Castell President: Geoffrey Horsnell Vice Presidents:
The Right Revd Dr John Austin Baker The Revd Canon Anthony J Abbey Ruth Macdonald
Background on Bach's St John
Passion (BWV 245)
Unlike, perhaps, the stupendous transcendent majesty and scale of his St Matthew Passion, with the St John
Passion Bach draws us more readily and intimately into the action of Christ's betrayal, arrest, trial before Pontius Pilate, and crucifixion.
In writing the St. John Passion, Bach intended to retain the congregational spirit of the worship service. The text for the body of the work is taken from the Gospel of John chapters 18 and 19. To augment these chapters, which he summarises in the music, Bach uses an elaborate body of commentary consisting of hymns (often called chorales), and arias. He uses
Martin Luther's translation of the Bible with only slight modifications.
Bach proved that the sacred opera as a musical genre did not have to become shallow in liturgical use by remaining loyal to the cantus firmus and the scriptural word. The first part of the score, which makes up about one-third of the entire piece, dramatically takes us through Peter's walk and his betrayal of Jesus. In the St John Passion, one hears
Peter deny Jesus three times, and at the third time, John tells us that the cock crew immediately.
Originally Bach intended that the St. John
Passion would be first performed in the
St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, but due to a last-minute change by the music council, it was first performed in 1724 in the St. Nicholas Church. Bach quickly agreed to their desire to move the service to St Nicholas Church, "but pointed out that the booklet was already printed, that there was no room available and that the harpsichord needed some repair, all of which, however, could be attended to at little cost; but he requested that a little additional room be provided in the choir loft of St Nicholas Church, where he planned to place the musicians needed to perform the music. He also asked that the harpsichord be repaired" (Wolff, Christoph. Johann
Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician, 291. New York: WW Norton & Company. 2000). The council agreed and sent a flyer announcing the new location to all the people around Leipzig. The council made the arrangements requested by Bach regarding the harpsichord and space needed for the choir.
ALL SAINTS CHURCH
Romford Road Chigwell Row Essex IG7 4QD
Cantamus Bach Choir
Cantamus Bach Orchestra of London
(Leader: Tina Bowles)
'St John Passion'
English Translation
Bach
(BWV 245)
Conductor:
Peter Macdonald
Saturday 23rd March 2013 at 7.30pm
Admission by Ticket £10.00 (concessions £8.50)
Available from 020 8500 0914 and at the door
Patron: Dr Stephen Castell MSc AFIMA M Inst P MBCS MBIM MIM GT CPhys
President: Geoffrey Horsnell MSc Dip IC BSc
Vice Presidents: The Right Revd Dr John Austin Baker
The Revd Canon Anthony J Abbey MA ARCO
Ruth Macdonald FLCM LLCM ALCM CERT ED Cambs
Reg in England 1686005
https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Cantamus-Bach.htm
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