Music at Emmanuel: Bohemian Bach
$25 in advance, $35 at the door
- Christian Lane, conductor
Johann Sebastian Bach — Christ lag in Todesbanden ("Christ lay in death's bonds"), BWV 4
Sixty miles from Johann Sebastian Bach's home in Leipzig sits the great city of Dresden—and it is here, in the splendid Catholic Court, that Czech composer Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679–1745) spent his career. Largely unnoticed during life and mostly forgotten after death, Zelenka's genius as a composer was nonetheless recognized and celebrated by the likes of Bach and Telemann—and his innovative, quirky compositions are notable for their unusual harmonic spice, asymmetrical phrasing, and rhythmic syncopation. Indeed, while Bach's music might generally follow an orderly path, Zelenka's works are exhilarating in their relative unpredictability. In this program, hear Zelenka's glorious Missa Votiva, ZWV 18 alongside Bach's great Easter cantata Christ lag in Todes Banden, BWV 4, performed by The Emmanuel Choir, soloists from within its ranks, and period-instrument chamber orchestra. Come discover—and fall in love with—the work of this "Bohemian Bach"!
About The Emmanuel Choir (Baltimore)
A fully-professional mixed-voice ensemble, its 12-member core is augmented by four Choral Scholars, each a local music student. Rooted in the great and expansive choral traditions of the Anglican (Episcopal) Church, the Emmanuel Choir's repertoire spans the centuries—from Italian Renaissance to English Romantic; from plainsong to the 21st Century—and includes regular world-premiere performances of new music composed for the Church of today and tomorrow.
The choir is led by Christian Lane, Director of Music.
https://www.emmanueldowntown.org/the-emmanuel-choirAbout Music at Emmanuel (Baltimore)
Music at Emmanuel features a full season of concerts and special liturgies with The Emmanuel Choir – together with a chamber music series, Tuesdays at Six – and a series featuring our ensemble-in-residence, Mount Vernon Virtuosi.
https://www.emmanueldowntown.org/concerts