Music at All Saints Parish Sunday, January 28, 2007
Epiphany IV
From All Saints Music Director Donald Teeters
The music for this Sunday will be very special. The emphasis will be on works of J. S. Bach, but there will also be music, old and recent, that is compatible to one degree or another with that of the great German master. I am very grateful to Friedrich von Huene for his efforts in putting together the various components - the music materials and personnel - that will make this such an unusually interesting service.
During the service we will hear parts of Bach's Suite, No. 2 in b minor, for flute, strings and harpsichord, and an aria from Cantata BWV 8, and motets by Sweelinck, a Dutch composer who lived before Bach's time, and Hugo Distler, a 20th century German composer whose music was directly influenced by Bach's.
The flutist will be Na'ama Lion, who will play a baroque transverse flute with one key, very much like those used in the 18th century. The supporting string players will be Lena Wong and Julia McKenzie, violins, Scott Woolweaver, viola, Sarah Freiberg, 'cello, and I shall be the harpsichordist. All the instruments will be tuned to A-415 pitch, a semi-tone lower than customary modern pitch (A-440).
At the offering we will hear an aria from Bach's Cantata BWV8, sung by our own Robert Honeysucker, with a virtuoso flute obligato part and with the same accompaniment as the Suite. Before this aria, the movements in the cantata that will not be heard here include an opening chorus with orchestra asking the question "Dear God, when will I die?" It continues for 68 measures in a steady searching mood, while a high flute imitates the ringing of a small bell, signifying that someone is dying. Next, a tenor asks "Wilt thou, my soul, be terrified?" and an alto sings of pain, fear, guilt and worry. Next follows the introduction to the marvelous bass aria, which we will perform, which has the flute skipping and running while the singer gives the forceful command "Retreat, you vain and crazy worries, my Jesus calls; who would not go? We are indebted to Mr. Jay Scheide for making the score and parts available. We think that this is the first performance of this aria at the original pitch and on baroque instruments since Bach and his forces performed it in Leipzig, possibly in the year 1724. We hope that in another year we may be able to perform the whole cantata at All Saints.
Organ music by Bach will be played before and after the service.
The hymns for the service include:
#598 - Lord Christ, when first thou camst to men.
#440 - Blessed Jesus, at thy word
#397 - Now thank we all our God