Welcome to the 54th Season of Bach Vespers!

All Vespers are at 5pm unless otherwise indicated, and will be live-streamed from this page for those who cannot attend in person.

Spring 2022

January 30      Behind Bach Vespers - ONLINE ONLY EVENT 

February 6      Cantata 82a for solo soprano, “Ich habe genug”

February 13     Cantata 92, “Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn”

February 20     Cantata 181, “Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister”

February 27     Cantata 22, “Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwölfe”
 

LENTEN ORGAN RECITALS

March 6 – Bálint Karosi     

March 13 - Gwendolyn Toth    

March 27 - Jennifer Pascual     

April 3 - Claudia Dumschat

 

FINAL PERFORMANCE OF THE SEASON

April 17            Easter Oratorio, BWV 249

 

Since Bach Vespers is in the format of an evening prayer service, neither tickets nor reservations are required. Bach Vespers is free and open to the public. Whether you identify as faith-filled or not so sure, Lutheran or Luther-who? you are welcome to participate in the singing, prayer, and ritual only to the extent you feel comfortable doing so. Welcome. There will always be a place for you here. 

In 1968, as Holy Trinity Lutheran Church marked its 100th birthday, it set out to celebrate its history and the rich tradition of music in the Lutheran Church. Drawing from the high level of music performance in the City of New York, “Evenings with Johann S” was established, based on the ancient Christian service of Vespers. It was the first music series in the Western Hemisphere to present the cantatas of the great Lutheran composer Johann Sebastian Bach within a liturgical context.

53 years, hundreds of performances and two Grammy nominations later, Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity continues to present Bach’s cantatas and other great Baroque and early music masterworks every Sunday evening from October to May.

The Bach Choir and Players (on period instruments) are composed of some of the finest early musicians in the nation. As part of an ongoing commitment to developing baroque and early music in the city of New York, Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity and its parent organization Holy Trinity Lutheran Church host concerts by several of New York-based early music ensembles including House of Time, our ensemble-in-residence.

Auditions for Bach Vespers Singers & Players are unfortunately not being held in-person at this time due to continued Covid-19 concerns.  Musicians experienced in historically informed performance of Bach may submit their application materials by following the instructions at the following link:

https://www.holytrinitynyc.org/bachvespersauditions

 

WATCH PAST VESPERS SERVICES

Lessons & Carols, Britten Ceremony of Carols ~ December 19, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Bach's Magnificat, BWV 243 ~ December 12, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

 

Cantata 147 "Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben" ~ December 5, 2021 at 5:00pm EST
featuring "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"

 

Cantata 70 "Wachet! betet! betet! Wachet!" ~ November 28, 2021 at 5:00pm EST
Cantata 90 "Es reißet euch ein schrecklich Ende" ~ November 21, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Cantata 60 "O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort" ~ November 14, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Motet, "Selig sind die Toten" by Josef Rheinberger

 

 BWV 233, Mass in F Major ~ October 31, 2021 at 5:00pm EDT

EASTER BACH VESPERS ~ April 4, 2021 at 5:00pm EDT

Cantata 4, "Christ lag in Todesbanden" by Johann Sebastian Bach

Motet, "Regina caeli" by Gregor Aichinger; Psalm 114 by Heinrich Schütz; Magnificat by Daniel Bollius

Organ Voluntaries by Heinrich Bach, Georg Böhm, and Johann Sebastian Bach

 

Lenten Recital V: Diane Meredith Belcher ~ March 21st, 2021 at 5:00pm EDT

"All Bach Recital"

Lenten Recital IV: Gwendolyn Toth ~ March 14th, 2021 at 5:00pm EDT

Music before Bach's time: Works by Kotter, Praetorius, Scheidemann, & Racquet

Lenten Recital III: Brian Giebler and Parker Ramsay ~ March 7th, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Works by Barber, Schubert, Britten, and Poulenc

Lenten Recital II: House of Time ~ February 28th, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Works by J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, and G.P. Telemann

Lenten Recital I: Janet Yieh ~ February 21st, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Works by Bruhns, Brahms, Groom te Velde, Demessieux, and Bach

FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION ~ February 14th, 2021 at 5:00pm EST

Buxtehude Cantatas Sicut Moses, BuxWV 97 & Quemadmodum desiderat cervus, BuxWV 92

Trio Sonata No. 5 in C Major, BWV 559 (transcr. by House of Time), I Only Speak of the Sun by Jessica Meyer, Psalm 50 by Edward Blancks

BACH VESPERS ~ December 6th, 2020 at 5:00pm EST

Cantata 10, "Meine Seel erhebt den Herren" by Johann Sebastian Bach

Motet, "O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf, Op. 74, No. 2" by Johannes Brahms

Organ Voluntaries by Marcel Dupré

BACH VESPERS ~ November 15th, 2020 at 5:00pm EST

Cantata 51, "Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen" by Johann Sebastian Bach

Motet, "Dona Nobis Pacem" by Olivia Sparkhall

Organ Voluntaries by J.S. Bach

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