Community choir presents Bach Fest

April 27, 2008

J S Bach
The St. Augustine Community Chorus will present A BACH FEST, 3:30, Sunday, May 4 at the Ancient City Baptist Church in St. Augustine.

The Chorus and soloists will sing J.S. Bach’s MAGNIFICAT, THE PEASANT CANTATA, and CANTATA No. 80. Cantata No. 80 is based on the hymn tune A Mighty Fortress is our God.

The Conductor of the St. Augustine Community Chorus is Dr. Theodore K. Mathews. For many years, Dr. Mathews was the director of the Agnes Scott College Glee Club which toured nationally and internationally. Dr. Mathews was also a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus for seven years while Robert Shaw was its director.

A BachFest leads to the question, Why Bach? Classical music lovers shudder when you ask that! Bach is one of the greats! Beethoven, Brahms and Bach! The three “Bs.” It doesn’t get any better. Bach is wonderful. His music works. It is fun to listen to and challenges you both as a listener and as musician at the same time. His ideas develop, spin and function on a wonderful level, etc. We can go on and on.

But what about “everyone else?” What about all those who feel like what they call classical music “leaves a great deal to be desired” (to say it in the nicest terms.) Many don’t realize how popular Bach is. In March of 2008 Bach was the top featured down load on the iTunes home page along with Snoop Dogg and U2. Why? The Swingle Singers Bach album is one of the all time best selling jazz CDs/LPs. Why? You get over 100,000 hits if you Google “Bach Performances.” Why? Finally, and of most importance, why should you attend a BachFest concert?

It doesn’t matter if you believe that music doesn’t get any better than (Take your pick) Usher or Nine Inch Nails/Hall and Oates, Kool and the gang/The Carpenters, the Beatles, Jackson 5/Elvis, Henry Mancini, Percy Faith/Benny Goodman or Jimmie Lunceford. Come listen and you will enjoy Bach.

Bach laid out the rules and procedures that all of the groups named (and any other pop musician that you can think of) built on. He was and is The Man. He didn’t know he was establishing the rules. It’s just that when he composed music he did it so very well that we still follow most of his rules today. Listen to what he did with a simple hymn tune like A mighty fortress is our God, and it’s easy to understand why everyone remembers him and keeps performing his music. The Magnificat is guaranteed to send chills down your back. The Peasant Cantata is good fun and good music too.

Join the St. Augustine Community Chorus for our concert at Ancient City Baptist Church on Sunday, May 4 at 3:30. Come and enjoy our BachFest! Seating for the concert is limited. Call (904) 794 5181 for ticket information.

Written by MacV · Filed Under Entertainment