Come, hasten and run! In contrast to the proto-sturm und drang of his two Passion-based oratorios, Bach's Easter Oratorio reflects pure joy. Written between the two Passion oratorios, but substantially revised a decade later in 1735-40, the Easter Oratorio is a comparatively brief work. Written for, and debuting on, Easter Sunday 1725, the change of … Continue reading Kommt, eilet und laufet!
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Bach’s St. John Passion
In 1724, Bach unleashed his St. John Passion on Good Friday. Solemn music for the most solemn day in the Christian calendar. While Lutheran congregations would have expected an austere service, with a handful of Lutheran hymns, Bach had something new up his sleeve. As John Eliot Gardiner observes: "What greeted worshippers that day, however, … Continue reading Bach’s St. John Passion
Bach for Easter
Last Christmas, I published a playlist that looked at Christmas music over nearly 1,000 years. At Easter, it is all about Bach. As mentioned earlier, Bach’s faith ran deep; while his great and frequent personal tragedies were never worn on his sleeve or visage, they poured out of him and into his music. The St. … Continue reading Bach for Easter
Music History, by Guitar
Classical guitarists get comparitively little consideration and wrongfully so. We will have much to say about the classical guitar, particularly when we get to Benjamin Britten much further down the line. Compared with rock gods and jazz freaks, classical guitarists operate in a world where they are largely shunned by classical audiences and ignored by … Continue reading Music History, by Guitar
Samantha Hankey: Aural Ambrosia
We've had the distinct pleasure of following mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey's career ever since her senior year at the Juilliard School. A very deserved winner of the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions (coming out of the NY region!) in 2017, Samantha's career has taken off spectacularly, debuting at many of the world's greatest opera houses including … Continue reading Samantha Hankey: Aural Ambrosia
A Gertus History of Music 