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CHOIR OF THE 21ST CENTURY in "BACH REINVENTED"

ST PETER'S EATON SQUARE
LONDON United Kingdom

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CHOIR OF THE 21ST CENTURY in "BACH REINVENTED"

Max Barley writes:
CC21s first concert of 2018 explores the J.S.Bachs profound influence on the choral and organ landscape from his lifetime through to the present day, in the resonant acoustic of St Peters, Eaton Square.

The programme will begin and end with two of Bachs six great motets: Jesu, Meine Freude - the longest and most dramatically varied in its eleven sections: from fiery music conjuring up hell and the old dragon to moments of extreme calm. Singet dem Herrn, written for double choir, will be the finale in our programme, and sees Bach at his most virtuosic in the two outer sections, radiating exuberance and joy; contrasting with these is a sublime, chorale-like middle section. The two motets will be accompanied by continuo organ and baroque cello.

The other choral music in the programme includes Bachs O Jesu Christ meins Lebens Licht which, like so much of Bachs choral music, conveys great optimism and hope. The Swedish composer, Sven-David Sandström (born 1942), has set all six of Bachs motet texts, with equivalent choral forces. Lobet den Herrn, which CC21 will be performing, combines rhythmic excitement with expressive cluster chords. Kurt Nystedt (1915-2014) was a towering influence on Norwegian choral music, whose Immortal Bach takes Bachs chorale "Komm, süsser Tod prolonging and overlapping the chords, creating highly atmospheric music.

Interspersed with the choral music will be organ works from Bachs collection of short chorale preludes, the Orgelbüchlein, and the current Orgelbüchlein project, a major international composition project to set arrangements of the 118 chorales for which Bach only left titles.

The emotional range explored by Bach and his successors promise to make this an inspiring and uplifting programme, which I am much looking forward to conducting.