Sunday, September 18, 2022
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, directed by Duke Chapel's Dr. Philip Cave, presents these musical masterpieces accompanied by other notable choral and instrumental works of the Baroque era.
There is no charge for admission.
This concert features music inspired by the Song of Mary, including one of Bach's greatest masterpieces, the celebratory setting of the Magnificat in D, complete with trumpets and drums. The program also includes Bach's rarely heard cantata written for the Feast of the Purification, commonly known as the German Magnificat, and his great Fugue on the Magnificat for organ. The concert begins with the Overture from Bach's Third Orchestral Suite in D. The Chapel's Dr. Philip Cave directs the performance with chorus and distinguished soloists accompanied by the Mallarmé Chamber Players performing on period instruments. The pieces performed are:
- Overture from Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068
- J.S. Bach: Meine Seele erhebt den Herrn (German Magnificat), BWV 10
- Fuga sopra il Magnificat, BWV 733
- Magnificat in D major, BWV 243
At 4:00 p.m. in the Divinity School's Goodson Chapel, Chad Fothergill, interim Chapel organist, gives a pre-concert lecture on historical and musical contexts for the centrality of the Magnificat in the Vespers and Evensong traditions with particular emphasis on the Magnificat settings by Bach.
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 surface lot at the same address. Duke students, faculty, and staff can use this link to pre-pay for parking.
Note: Families with young children are invited to attend an informal open rehearsal the day before the concert, Saturday, September 17, between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. in the Chapel.