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“For Bach all music is sacred. The tones do
not die but ascend to God as praise too deep
for utterance.”
— from Bach by Albert Schweitzer
12/6 — On Second Sunday of Advent we
explore the meaning of incarnation with settings
of the text, O Magnum Mysterium. Part
One of Handel’s Messiah is also featured.
12/13 — Celebrate the genius of Beethoven
with his masterful Missa Solemnis. We will
also hear Part Two of Handel’s Messiah.
12/20 — “Glory to God in the Highest” is the
song the angels sang at the birth of Christ.
We’ll also hear Glorias by Vivaldi, Poulenc
and Rutter and the Gloria section from selected
masses.
12/27 — Two cantatas from Bach’s Christmas
Oratorio prepare us to greet the New Year,
plus delicious musical Christmas leftovers.
1/3 — Hector Berlioz’ Oratorio, The Childhood
of Christ, will be featured; as well as several
settings of Simeon’s prayer, “Lord, now let thy
servant depart in peace” (Nunc dimittis).
1/10 — Sir Michael Tippett was moved by an
article he read in a newspaper to write his oratorio
A Child of our Time, which illustrates
how art can expand our vision and sensibilities.
Hear the story behind the music in an
outstanding performance by the City of
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus.
1/17 — Our Russian Romantics weekend features
The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by
Ippolitov-Ivanov and Tchaikovsky, along with
other glorious and ethereal examples of the
Russian choral sound.
1/24 — Today is part of the Mozart Madness
celebration of Wolfgang’s birth date coming up
on Wednesday. Hear his Great Mass in C, Ave
verum Corpus, Laudate Dominum and more.
1/31 — Aquarians—Delius, Schubert and
Mendelssohn—will be featured: Delius’ A
Mass of Life, Schubert’s Mass No. 6 and
Motets from Mendelssohn.
2/7 — Franz Liszt’s oratorio The Legend of
Saint Elizabeth is seldom heard but remarkably
effective. Hungarian-born Liszt put his
heart and soul in the work commemorating
the patron saint of his fatherland.
2/14 — Valentine’s Day invites us to listen to
sacred music that glorifies human love and
exalts Divine love. Palestrina’s settings of The
Song of Songs will be just one feature.
2/21 — We celebrate the birth anniversary of
George Frideric Handel—February 23,
1685—with his colorful and descriptive oratorio
Israel in Egypt.
2/28 — On Lent 2, we’ll hear three cantatas by
Bach for Quinquagesima—the Sunday
before Lent. (Musical instruments and singing
were not allowed except for the third Sunday
in Lent and Passion Sunday.)
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