Monday, February 21, 2011

BACK to the BACH!


After a great weekend singing CREATION with the ISO (see the review in the STAR online edition--"ISO, Symphonic Choir Give Robust Performance of Haydn's CREATION"

Tonight we'll focus on the "Cum sancto spiritu," one of the most challenging and beautiful works in the setting. It's like the Energizer rabbit...it just keeps going and going.


Last night, the Symphonic Choir hosted the first of a series of dinners/encounters with Mass in B minor. Held at the beautiful home of ISC board member Martha Schmidt and her husband Paul, a group of about 30 church friends and neighbors gathered to listen to excerpts of the work. We also read a short excerpt from Bach's (in-) famous letter to the Leipzig Town Council in which he bemoans the musical shortcomings of his situation (check it out: "SHORT BUT MOST NECESSARY DRAFT FOR A WELL-APPOINTED MUSICIAN'S HIGH COUNCIL ; WITH CERTAIN MODEST REFLECTIONS ON THE DECLINE OF THE SAME"). We also considered the performance history of this work, likely not receiving its first full performance until more than 100 years after Bach's death. In all, it was a great evening of friends and music.

We're now less than 2 months from our performances...and best of all, I finished all my bowings in the wee hours last night!


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