Cantata Series Opens: Bach & Palestrina

The Chattanooga Bach Choir, David Long artistic director and conductor, presents its 4th annual Barnett & Company Cantata Series, featuring four Sunday afternoon concerts focusing on J.S. Bach’s beautiful and expressive choral works appropriately chosen for the particular Sunday in the liturgical calendar. All concerts take places at 5:00 p.m. at Christ Church Episcopal (663 Douglas Street, Chattanooga). A series subscription (4 concerts) is $60. Single tickets are $20. Students are free. For more information, visit www.chattanoogabachchoir.org.

The 2018-19 Barnett & Company Cantata Series opens on Sunday, September 23, with Bach’s Cantata BWV 148 Bringet dem Herrn Ehre seines Namens (Bring to the Lord the honor due His name) composed for the 17th Sunday after Trinity. Completing the hour-long program are Palestrina’s a cappella setting of Psalm 137, Super flumina Babylonis (By the banks of Babylon) and Bach’s Praeludium in G major for organ, BWV 541. Joining the Bach Choir and Orchestra are guest artists: Rachel Walls, alto; James Harr, tenor; and Josh Knight, organ.

David Long notes, “On the final page of his cantatas, motets and other sacred compositions, Bach wrote the phrase: Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone), signifying that his work was created for the purpose of praising God. Bach’s two hundred or so surviving sacred cantatas contain some of his greatest music, created with a consistency of invention and inspiration and revealing an astonishing range of expression and musical styles. Some could even be described as miniature sacred music dramas. In this series, we explore the range and variety of these glorious works for chorus, soloists, and instruments, coupled with sacred works for unaccompanied chorus, as well as a related solo organ prelude to begin program.”

Long continues, “For this opening concert, we perform Bach’s festive cantata BWV 148 Bringetdem Herrn Ehre seines Namens (Bring to the Lord the honor due His name) composed for the 17th Sunday after Trinity and expressing the honor due to God on the Sabbath. The program also includes Super flumena Babylon is (Psalm 137), a four-part motet by the renowned Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. Bach’s Praeludium in G major for soloorgan opens the concert. We invite everyone to join us and enjoy this hour-long Sunday afternoon musical offering.”

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. David Long introduces each Cantata with a brief musical explanation placing each work in its liturgical context. The 2018-19 season continues on October 21: BWV 38, Aus tiefer not schrei ich zu dir (21st Sunday after Trinity); February 17:BWV 144, Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin (3rd Sunday before Lent); and March 31: BWV 1 ,Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (Feast of the Annunciation). All concerts take place at Christ Church Episcopal (663 Douglas Street) at 5 p.m.