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.

Conclude the holiday weekend with a glorious Bach Vespers, premiering Easter Sunday, April 4 at 5PM EDT. As our final virtual vespers service of Season 53, we are proud to present Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata 4, “Christ lag in Todesbanden” (“Christ lay in death’s bonds”), Bach’s first cantata composed for Easter. Our featured soloists include Chelsea Helm, soprano, Kate Maroney, alto, Nils Neubert, tenor, and Phillip Cheah, bass.

Immerse yourself in the grand imagery of Easter and Christ’s triumphant battle between life and death through the words and music of J.S. Bach. You'll find the link below for the Sunday evening premiere. We hope you’ll share the link with friends and family. As always, the vespers service will be available for viewing on-demand on Holy Trinity’s YouTube Channel following the premiere, or right here on Holy Trinity's website.

We at Bach Vespers at Holy Trinity truly appreciate your support during this extraordinary season of virtual vespers and we look forward to the day when we can gather in person as a community once again!  All Bach Vespers services are free, open to the public and made possible through individual and foundational support as well as a freewill offering. To donate to Bach Vespers in any amount, click here:  tinyurl.com/givebach

Link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rlm3cRDrE4

 

Lenten Concerts 2021:  Sundays at 5pm, February 21 - March 21

(links to videos below)

March 21:  ALL BACH organ recital ~ Diane Meredith Belcher, Director of Music at Holy Trinity NYC, Concert Organist & Teacher
March 14:  Concert and recording organist Gwendolyn Toth, Director of ARTEK, NYC
March 7:  Tenor Brian Giebler (2021 Grammy nominee), accompanied by harpist Parker Ramsay  
February 28:  House of Time, New York City's Period Instrument Chamber Ensemble
February 21:  Concert organist Janet Yieh, Associate Organist, Trinity Church Wall Street NYC 
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.

52 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, and have maintained a close partnership with the Historical Performance department at the Juilliard School.

Beginning in 2020, noted organist, conductor and early music scholar Diane Meredith Belcher has been appointed as Director of Music.
 

 

Watch past Virtual Vespers here:
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church mourns the death of John Borland Weaver (1937-2021), who as Organist/ Choir Director here from 1959 to 1970 founded our Bach Vespers series together with his wife, flautist Marianne Gruhn Weaver.  We send our deepest condolences and prayers to his wife Marianne, daughter Kirianne, grandchildren, and brother Bob.  
Rest eternal grant him, O Lord; and let light perpetual shine upon him.

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