Bach Cantatas at St Michael & All Angels
West London Bach Consort and Players 
The West London Bach Players and Consort, conducted by Sandy Burnett, are now four fifths of the way through their epic performing cycle of J.S. Bach’s sacred cantatas. The hour-long concerts are free, with a retiring collection for projects supported by the Upper Room (infoupperroom@yahoo.co.uk). See below for 2008 dates and performances.
The cycle resumes this coming Sunday 2nd November.
BWV 163 Nur jedem das Seine will be followed by BWV 63 Christen, ätzen diesen Tag. St Michael’s Director of Music Jonathan Dods joins us once again as continuo organist; two of our regular soloists, alto Lucy Ballard and bass Martin Johnson, 
are joined by tenor Jake White making his St Michael’s debut; and we also extend a special welcome to soprano Elena Xanthoudakis (right) whose opera career includes leading roles for the Royal Opera and ENO
There is an intimate, conversational feel about much of the music in BWV 163. Nur jedem das Seine was written for chamber-sized forces at the ducal court of Weimar where Bach was concert master and Salomo Franck was court poet. As well as being a first-rate poet, Franck was also a keen coin collector; since this cantata is based on Jesus’s injunction to “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s,” Franck found himself able to work several numismatic references into the text!
The other work in November’s programme also dates from Bach’s Weimar years - but there the similarity ends. In place of BWV 163’s chamber textures, BWV 63 Christen, ätzen diesen Tag is a grandiloquent affair written for a large ensemble; four trumpets and timpani add their ringing contributions to a celebratory cantata written for Christmas Day. The chorale or hymn tune is usually a central element in these cantatas, but in BWV 63, chorales are nowhere to be seen. Instead an exuberant opening chorus urging Christians to “etch this day in metal and marble” is matched by a closing movement that features both a brilliant instrumental ritornello and a magnificent double fugue for all voices and instruments.
Following our usual pattern, our cantata concert begin at 7:30 and lasts for under an hour. All performers give their services for free. There is no charge for admission, but there will be a retiring collection for projects supported by our deserving local charity, the Upper Room. Whether you are new to these concerts, or a regular audience member, you will be very welcome and we look forward to seeing you there.
Sandy Burnett
JS BACH CHURCH CANTATAS - remaining date in 2008
14th December
BWV 18 Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee
BWV 85 Ich bin ein guter Hirt
Spiritually satisfying, technically challenging, musically edifying,
and always surprising!
Working on a complete performing cycle of Bach’s surviving sacred cantatas with the West London Bach Consort and Players has been an absorbing experience on a number of levels. It is a musical journey that we began early in 1997; it has at times seemed like a never-ending pilgrimage, but as things now stand (October 2007), a mere twenty-five concerts remain before the cycle is complete in December 2010.
Which cantatas will be performed when is a task undertaken by one of the project’s guiding lights, cellist Ruth Ridley. She has eschewed the electronic advantages of the computer to draft out the schedule using a medium that Bach himself would have recognised, namely pencil and paper.
Our performances generally take place in St Michael’s on the second Sunday of each month, starting after Easter and continuing through until December. There is no performance in August, and the November concert takes place on the first Sunday due to Remembrance Sunday, which falls the week after.
Bach composed these extraordinary works at the rate of approximately one a week, often with the objective of illustrating and amplifying the spiritual message of the chief Sunday morning Lutheran church service, the Hauptgottesdienst. For our Chiswick cycle we are presenting Bach’s cantatas in sacred Sunday-evening concerts. Although the cantatas are sung in German, and some of the imagery can seem obscure, we precede each of the cantatas with spoken introductions which unlock some of the mysteries of the language! - while the vivid power of Bach’s music ensures that the central spiritual message of these cantatas, written almost 300 years ago, are just as direct and relevant today.
The concerts begin at 7:30 and last for under an hour; all performers give their services for free. There is no charge for admission, but as in previous years there will be a retiring collection for projects supported by the Upper Room, feeding the community in need in West London. Whether you are new to these concerts, or one of the growing band of regular audience members, you will be very welcome and we look forward to seeing you there.
2008 dates and performances
11th May* |
BWV 74 BWV 2 |
Wer mich liebet, der wird mein Wort halten Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein |
8th June |
BWV 112 BWV 83 |
Der Herr ist mein getreuer Hirt Erfreute Zeit im neuen Bunde |
13th July |
BWV 178 BWV 73 |
Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält Herr, wie du willt, so schicks mit mir |
14th September |
BWV 95 BWV 3 |
Christus, der ist mein Leben Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid |
12th October** |
BWV 188 BWV 37 |
Ich habe meine Zuversicht Wer da gläubet und getauft wird |
2nd November |
BWV 163 BWV 63 |
Nur jedem das Seine Christen, ätzen diesen Tag |
14th December |
BWV 18 BWV 85 |
Gleichwie der Regen und Schnee Ich bin ein guter Hirt |
West London Bach Consort & Players conducted by Sandy Burnett/*Angela Sleeman/**Giles Ridley
ADMISSION FREE. Retiring collection for projects supported by the Upper Room, feeding the community in need in West London.
Charity registration no. 1004354. Email: infoupperroom@yahoo.co.uk