Chattanooga Bach Choir Opens Season Sunday

  • Tuesday, October 15, 2019
The Chattanooga Bach Choir
The Chattanooga Bach Choir

The Chattanooga Bach Choir, David Long artistic director and conductor, presents its 5th Barnett & Company Cantata Series, featuring four Sunday afternoon concerts focusing on J.S. Bach’s choral works appropriately chosen for the particular Sunday in the liturgical calendar. All concerts take place at 5 p.m. at Christ Church Episcopal, 663 Douglas St.

A series subscription (four concerts) is $60. Single tickets are $20. Students are free. For more information, visit www.chattanoogabachchoir.org.

The 2019-2020 Barnett & Company Cantata Series opens Sunday with Bach’s Cantata Herr Christ, dereinge Gottessohn (Lord Christ, the only Son of God), BWV 96 composed for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. The hour-long program begins with Bach’s Praeludium in C major, BWV 545 for organ and Renaissance composer Orlando di Lasso’s a cappella motet Dixit Dominus (Introit for the 18th Sunday after Trinity). Joining the Bach Choir and Orchestra are guest artists: Janelle Wagoner, soprano; Sara Snider Schone, alto; Christopher Reames, tenor; Zachary J. Cavan, bass; and Karla Fowkes, organ.

Mr. Long said, “On the final page of his sacred compositions, Bach inscribed the phrase: Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone), signifying that his work was created in praise of God. Bach wrote cantatas for every Sunday of Church year for a total of five cycles, of which about 200 survive. These glorious musical gems reveal his extraordinary creativity and inspiration, as well as a dazzling range of emotional expression and musical styles. In this series, we connect these works for chorus, soloists, and instruments with their appropriate date in the liturgical calendar, surrounded by related sacred works for unaccompanied chorus and a solo organ prelude to begin program.

“For this opening concert, we perform Bach’s joyful cantata Herr Christ, dereinge Gottessohn (Lord Christ, the only Son of God), BWV 96 composed for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. First performed on Oct. 8, 1724, the cantata compares Jesus to the Morning Star and is structured in six movements with an opening choral fantasia, solo arias, and a closing four-part chorale. We pair the cantata with Orlando di Lasso’s 8-part motet, Dixit Dominus, also written for the 18th Sunday after Trinity. We hope people will enjoy this hour of inspiring music on a Sunday afternoon.”

The Bach Choir’s Barnett & Company Cantata Series explores J.S. Bach’s more than 200 cantatas written for every Sunday in the church year. Mr. Long introduces each Cantata with a brief musical explanation placing each work in its liturgical context. The 2019-20 season continues on Jan. 5: Christmas Oratorio V, BWV 248/5 (First Sunday after the New Year); March 22: Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV 131; and June 7: Es ist ein trotzig und verzagt Ding, BWV 176 (Trinity Sunday).

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