J S Bach Concert
Sunday, 4 December 2022
- Time
- 16:00 - 17:00
- Venue
- St Luke's Church, St Saviour, JE2 7PA
- Price
- Free
Jersey Chamber Choir, and the Orchestra of St Luke's
Cantata No. 140, “Wachet auf”
More Information (Channel 103 is not responsible for external websites)
in the Lutheran lectionary, “Wachet auf” tells the story of ten women who retired for the evening—five with oil in their lamps, and five without. Because one never knows when Christ will appear, one’s soul must always be ready to meet him. Thus, when during the night Christ, portrayed as a bridegroom, appeared to the virgins, only the five women who were prepared became his brides.
It is easy to hear why Cantata 140 has become a perennial favorite. The opening chorus is actually a chorale fantasia—a movement constructed around a chorale tune, heard in the soprano, which becomes a sort of musical foundation. In the duet with violin obbligato which follows a short tenor recitative, the soprano represents the soul, while the baritone is the voice of Christ. The fourth movement features segments of the earlier chorale cast against a famous melody heard in the strings. (Bach did not actually compose this tune, but rather borrowed it from a Lutheran pastor named Philipp Nicolai.) A recitative for baritone depicting the unification of Christ, the bridegroom, with his “chosen bride” leads to another duet for the soul (soprano) and Christ (baritone), this time with oboe accompaniment. The cantata closes with the entire choir singing the third verse of the chorale.
It is easy to hear why Cantata 140 has become a perennial favorite. The opening chorus is actually a chorale fantasia—a movement constructed around a chorale tune, heard in the soprano, which becomes a sort of musical foundation. In the duet with violin obbligato which follows a short tenor recitative, the soprano represents the soul, while the baritone is the voice of Christ. The fourth movement features segments of the earlier chorale cast against a famous melody heard in the strings. (Bach did not actually compose this tune, but rather borrowed it from a Lutheran pastor named Philipp Nicolai.) A recitative for baritone depicting the unification of Christ, the bridegroom, with his “chosen bride” leads to another duet for the soul (soprano) and Christ (baritone), this time with oboe accompaniment. The cantata closes with the entire choir singing the third verse of the chorale.
Venue
St Luke's Church
La Route De Fort
St Saviour
JE2 7PA
Dates
The event runs from 16:00 to 17:00 on the following dates.
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