Bach Cantata Series: Fear and Hope

Johann Sebastian Bach's church cantatas are often considered the pinnacle of German sacred music, works whose theological depth and emotional resonance touch deep places in the human soul. The Bach Cantata Series presents these musical masterpieces accompanied by other notable choral and instrumental works of the Baroque era. This concert presents these three cantatas:

* O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (Eternity, thou word of thunder), BWV 60

* Bekennen will ich seinen Namen (I shall acknowledge His name), BWV 200

* Christus, der ist mein Leben (Christ who art my life), BWV 95

There is no charge for admission. Paid parking is available on a first-come-first-served basis in the Bryan Center Garage at 125 Science Drive. ADA parking is available in the surface lot at the same address.

These two works are from Bach's first cantata cycle at Leipzig, performed in 1723. Cantata 60 contrasts fear of death with hope of salvation, through a conversation between two allegorical figures, Fear (sung by an alto voice) and Hope (sung by a tenor). Cantata 95 reflects the Gospel text of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, and is remarkable for its use of four different chorale melodies.

Learn more about the music in this concert by attending a pre-concert conversation at 4:00 p.m. in Goodson Chapel in the Divinity School's Westbrook Building. Chapel Organist Chad Fothergill will discuss Bach's structural and compositional choices for the cantatas in this concert.

Families with young children are invited to attend a rehearsal the day before the concert, September 16, between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. in Duke Chapel. This is a chance for children to experience the music close-up in an informal environment.