ANNUAL BACH FESTIVAL
February 15 - March 2, 2025
PRESENTED BY THE BACH FESTIVAL SOCIETY OF WINTER PARK
AT ROLLINS COLLEGE SINCE 1935
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park’s mission is to inspire the human spirit through extraordinary music, featuring powerful choral performances and innovative programming that celebrates the legacy of J.S. Bach. The 90th Season will showcase a dynamic array of world-class musicians and vocalists performing classical masterworks and contemporary compositions that will delight, challenge, and inspire listeners.
Photo credit: Scott Cook
OFFICERS
Dr. John W. Schott, M.D., President
Dr. William C. Oelfke, Vice President
Mr. Michael J. Kakos, Treasurer
Mrs. Beverly J. Slaughter, Secretary
TRUSTEES
Mr. Richard O. Baldwin, Jr.
Dr. Grant Cornwell
Dr. Jefferson S. Flowers
Dr. B. Grant Hayes
The Hon. Cynthia Mackinnon
Mr. Victor Alexander Tiedtke
TRUSTEES EMERITI
The late M. Elizabeth Brothers
J. Michael Murphy
The late Rev. Eric Ravndal, III
STAFF
Dr. John V. Sinclair, Artistic Director and Conductor
Kathy Johnson Berlinsky, Executive Director
Rhonda Burnham, Artistic Manager
Ruby Abreu, Marketing Manager
Sondra Jones, Education Manager
Savanna Huls, Operations Manager
Steven Branstetter, Business Manager
Luke Noles, Administrative Coordinator
Sherry Orr, Assistant to John Sinclair
Regunia Griggs, Choir Liaison
Lynn Peghiny, Bach Choir Accompanist
Rebecca Hammac, Youth Choir Director
Vivian Cook, Young at Heart Choral Director
Sofia Cardi Bonfil, Youth Choir and Young at Heart Choral Accompanist
Major Support Provided By
Our 90th Season is supported by many generous individual donors as well as Orange County Government through the Arts & Cultural Affairs program; United Arts of Central Florida, your local agency for the arts; Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation; Jessie Ball duPont Fund; Pabst Steinmetz Foundation; Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation; AdventHealth, Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation; The Joe & Sarah Galloway Foundation; Massey Services Inc.; and Rollins College.
JOHN V. SINCLAIR
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR
John V. Sinclair has established a national reputation as one of the leading conductors of choral masterworks while locally being known as one of the hardest-working and in-demand artists of the Central Florida cultural community. In his 35th season as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Bach Festival Society, he has broadened the Society’s musical offerings of masterworks by both classical and contemporary composers into the repertoire of the Society while perpetuating his reputation as a scholarly interpreter of J.S. Bach’s music. He continues his imaginative programming, creative interpretations, and expressive conducting.
Dr. Sinclair, known as a master teacher, is Director of Music at Rollins College and holds the John M. Tiedtke Endowed Chair. As a career educator, Sinclair keeps the Society’s educational focus vital by providing a broad range of musical programs and experiences for individuals of all ages. As a conductor who is equally adept at directing choral and orchestral music, he has been referred to as Central Florida’s “resident conductor.” Sinclair has appeared as conductor for more than a thousand EPCOT Candlelight performances in addition to his work as a clinician and lecturer. The Bach Festival, under his leadership, has achieved international recognition by touring in Europe, producing nationally released CDs and broadcasts, and performing with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra during their Florida residencies.
Dr. Sinclair holds master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music. His undergraduate school, William Jewell College, honored him with its most prestigious Citation for Achievement. In addition to editing and interpreting historical choral works through the Moravian Music Foundation, he has authored an anecdotal book entitled Falling Off the Podium and Other Life Lessons. The late Terry Teachout, formerly the Wall Street Journal’s arts critic, once wrote, “John is a gifted conductor, a great educator, and the best of all possible colleagues.” For more than three decades, John Sinclair has shared his talent and dedication to musical excellence with the Central Florida community and beyond.
Photo credit: David Bean
Photo credit: Mary Kent
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
LA RESURREZIONE, HWV 47 GEORGE FRIDERICH HANDEL
John V. Sinclair, conductor
Mary Wilson, soprano | Anna Eschbach, soprano | Meg Bragle, mezzo-soprano
John Grau, tenor | Steven Mumbert, bass-baritone
Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 7:30pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
PART 1, SCENE 1
The Angel demands admittance at the gates of Hell and declares that Christ, though he has Died, will now conquer Death, Guilt and Misery (Morte, Colpa, Pena). Lucifer summons the Powers of Hell to oppose him.
ANGELO
Disserratevi, o porte d'Averno,
E al bet lume d'un Nue ch'é eterna
Tutto in lampi si sciolga l'horror!
Cedete, orride porte, Cedete
Al re di Gloria, che della sua vittoria
Voi siete il primo onor!
Disserratevei, etc.
LUCIFERO
Qual' insolita Luce
Squarcia le bende alla tartarea notte?
Qual' eco non più udita
Con armonia gradita
Fa intorno risonar le stigie grotte?
Se son del mio valore
Gli applause, giusi sono!
Oggi, che vincitore, Cittadini d'Abisso, a voi ritorno;
E già mi vendicai con fiero sdegno
Di chi perder mi fé de'cieli it Regno!
ANGEL
Be unbarred, ye gates of Avernus, and let your dismal darkness be dispelled by the radiance of the eternal God! Yield, dread gates, yield to the King of Glory, for yours is the first submission Submission to His victorious might!
Be unbarred, etc.
LUCIFER
What unexpected light rends the bonds of Tartarean night? What sounds unheard before echo harmoniously throughout the Stygian caves?
If they are acclamations
Of my valour, they are fitting!
For today as victor, citizens of the Abyss, I return to you, having avenged myself with proud disdain upon the one who cast me out of Heaven!
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
LUCIFERO
Caddi, è ver, ma nel cadere Non perdei
Forza nè ardire.
Per scacciarmi dale sfere se Più forte Allor fu dio, Or fatt' uomo at furor mio Pur ceduto ceduto he con morire. to Caddi, è ver, etc.
LUCIFERO
Ma che veggio?
De' spirit a me nemici
Come un si folto stuolo, Per quest' aure annegriti
Da' miei respire, osa portare il volo?
ANGELO
De' tenebrosin chiostri
Tacete, orridi mostri!
Dileguatevi, o larve! Ombre, sparite!
E dell'eterno Re le leggi udite.
LUCIFERO
Che sei? Chi è questo Re, che dove io regno a penetrar s'avanza?
ANGELO
É Re di Gloria, é Re possente e forte, Cui resister non può la tua possanza.
LUCIFERO
Se parli di chi penso, Pur oggi a morte spinto, Negar non può ch'il mio poter l'ha vinto.
ANGELO
Come cieco t'inganni, e non t'avvedi
Che se mori chi è della vita autore, Non fu per opra tua, ma sol d'amore.
ANGELO
D'Amor fu consiglio
Che al Padre net Figlio L'offesa pagò, Per render all'uomo
La vita ch'un pomo gustato involò.
LUCIFER
I fell, 'tis true, but in falling I lost neither strength nor courage. Though when He threw me from the spheres God was then the stronger, now, as a man, He has succumbed my hate by dying. I fell, 'tis true, etc.
LUCIFER
But what is this? How does such a swarm of hostile spirits dare to wing its way through these vapours blackened by my breath?
ANGEL Silence, ye grisly monsters of the caves of darkness! Vanish, ye spectres! Disappear, ye shades and hear the decrees of the eternal King.
LUCIFER
Who art thou? Who is this king who would invade the realm where I hold sway?
ANGEL
He is the King of Glory, a King of power and might, against whom all thy strength cannot prevail.
LUCIFER
If thou speakest of whom I think thou dost, put to death this very day, He cannot deny that my power vanquished Him.
ANGEL
Blind, self-deceiver, canst not see that if life's very source has yielded life, 'twas by no act of thine, but for love along.
ANGEL
By Love's inspiration the Son paid to the Father the price of mortal sing, thus to man restoring the life he forfeited by tasting the apple.
LUCIFERO
E ben, questo tuo Nume
Dell'uomo innamorato
E che per lui svenago
Oggi volle morir, che più presume?
L'omaggio a me dovuto,
Se a rendermi qua giù muove le piante,
Venga. Ma se pretende ...
ANGELO
Taci, che or lo vedrai,
Mostro arrogante!
Vedrai come delusa
Da lui fugge la Morte; Vedrai come delusa
Lo rimira la Colpa; Vedrai come atterrita
Si nasconde la Pena; Vedrai come tu stesso
Tremarai genuflesso al suo gran Nome.
LUCIFERO
lo tremante! lo si vile! E quado? E come? Sconvolgerò gl'abissi, Dal sull'aria coi respire, Al fuoco coi respire, Con gli aneliti al Ciel muoverò guerra!
LUCIFERO
O voi, dell'Erebo potenze orribili, Su, meco armatevi d'ira e valor!
Edell' Eumenidi gli angui terribili, con fieri sibili ai cieli mostrino ch'hanno i suoi gli Abissi ancor!
O voi, dell'Erebo, etc.
LUCIFER
So, this God of thine, enamoured of mankind and content to suffer death on his account today, what more would he? If to pay me due homage He wends His way to these depths, let Him come. But if He would presume ...
ANGEL
Silence, for soon thou shalt see Him, arrogant monster! Thou shalt see how Death, outwitted, flies from Him; thou shalt see how Guilt, confounded, gapes at Him; thou shalt see Distress conceal herself in terror; thou shalt see thyself trembling on thy knees at His great name.
LUCIFER
I, tremble? Abase myself? When, and how? I'll throw Hell into confusion, into the air with my breath and into the fire with my sighs, and storm the gates of Heaven with ambition!
LUCIFER
O ye dread powers of Erebus come, arm yourselves like me with rage and courage
And let the hideous serpents of the Furies fiercely hiss that Heaven may know that Hell has yet its thunderbolts!
O ye dread powers, etc.
PART 1, SCENE 2
In Jerusalem, Mary Magdalene and Mary Cleophas mourn the death of Jesus, but St. John reminds them of Christ's promise to return on the third day and encourages them to return to the tomb.
MADDALENA
Notte, notte funesta, che del divino
Sole con tenebre di duol piangi l'occaso, Lascia, lascia che pianga anch'io, e con
MAGDALENA
Night, o night of sorrows, mourning the setting of the divine Sun with shadowed grief, leave me to my tears, and let not
Sopor tiranno al giusto dolor mio, deh, Non turbar l'affanno!
MADDALENA
Ferma l'ali, e sui miei lumi
Non volar, o sonno ingrate!
Se presumi, se presumi
Asciugarne il mesto pianto, Lascia pria che piangan tanto
Quanta sangue ha sparso in fiumi
Il mio Dio per me svenato.
Ferma l'ali, etc.
CLEOFE
Concedi, o Maddalena,
Qualche tregua al martire, Che un continuo languire
Può con la vita anche scemar la pena;
E per un Dio ch'é morto
Cosi giusto é 'ldolore
Che non convien di renderlo più corto
MADDALENA
Cleofe, invano at riposo
Tu mi consigli, ed at mio core amante
Sarebbe più penoso ogni momento
Che potesse restar senza tomento.
CLEOFE
Se il tuo giusto cordoglio
Sol di pene ha desio,
Trattenerio non voglio
Ma solo unire al tuo l'affanno mio.
CLEOFE
Piangete, si, piangete, Dolenti mie pupille,
E con amare stille
Al morto mio Signor
Tributo di dolor meste rendete!
Che mentri'egli spargea
Tutto ii suo sangue in croce, Morendo sol dicea
Di pianto: Ho sete.
Piangete, si, piangete.
imperious sleep sway me from the grief that justly racks my heart!
MAGDALENA
Fold thy wings, and o'er my eyes fly not, unwelcome sleep!
If thou wouldst presume to dry my tears of sorrow, let me first weep as full a stream as that shed by my God in blood when He died for me.
Fold thy wings, etc.
CLEOPHAS
O Magdalene, allow thy torment some respite, for incessant pining will put a term to life and therefore pain, and since such grief is just for a God who has died, it is not meet that it should be foreshortened.
MAGDALENA
Cleophas, in vain dost thou counsel me to rest; my loving heart would suffer the more each moment that is was free from torment.
CLEOPHAS
If thy just grief demands only suffering, I would not seek to restrain it, But only to mingle my tears with thing.
CLEOPHAS
Weep, yes, weep, my sorrowful eyes, and with thy bitter drops pay to thy dead Lord Thy tribute of grief in lamentanion!
For as He shed His blood upon the Cross, dying. He wept, and only said These words: I thirst.
Weep, yes, weep!
MADDALENA
Ahi, dolce mio Signore,
Le tue vene già vuote
Chiedan di poco umore Momentaneo ristoro, E il barbaro spettatore
Bevanda sol di fiele ti porse: lo lo rammento, e pur non moro?
CLEOFE
Ahi, Popolo crudele, Popolo ingrate!
Chi per te giàdisciolse
Duri macigni in liquidi torrenti
Di purissimi argenti
Poche stille ti chiede;
Tu glid ai mercede
Un si amaro liquore; e in rammentario non si spezza il core?
MADDALENA
O crude riembranze!
CLEOFE
O funeste memorie! ...
MADDALENA ... tormentatemi pur!
CLEOFE
... si, si, sequite ad accrescermi il duol, ...
MADDALENA ... che nel tormento, ...
CLEOFE
... che nell'angoscia ria, ...
MADDALENA ... io godo ancor, ...
CLEOFE
... sollievo ancora io sento.
MADDALENA
Se col pensiero afflitto
Vò lusingando almeno ll mio desire, e parmi aver nel seno
Qualche martir del mio Gesu traffitto.
TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS
MAGDALEN
Alas, my sweet Lord, Thy emptied veins asked for the momentary relief of a few drops of water. but the cruet spectators, gave Thee only gall to drink: Can I recall this and yet not die?
CLEOPHAS
Alas, cruel and hard-hearted people! He who for you once dissolved the solid rocks into torrents of purest silver, asked but a few drops of you; you gave Him in reward so bitter a liquid; does the memory not creak the heart?
MAGDALENA
O cruel recollection!
CLEOPHASS
O direful memories! ...
MAGDALENA
... come, wring my heart!
CLEOPHAS
... yes, yes, continue to to increase my grief, ....
MAGDALENA
... for in torment, ...
CLEOPHAS
... for in bitter anguish ...
MAGDALENA
... I shall find joy ...
CLEOPHAS
... solace shall yet be mine.
MAGDALENA
... as by the anguish of my mind my love may be augmented, and then I feel within my breast some part of the agony of my Jesus crucified.
CLEOFE
Se nell'afflitta mente
Ho il mio Gesù presente, E beneché esangue ed impiagato, parmi che basti il volto suo per consolarmi.
Duetto
MADDALENA
Dolci chiodi, amate spine,
Da quei piedi e da quell crine
Deh, passate nel mio sen.
CLEOFE
Cara effigie addolorata, Benché pallida e piagata, Sei mia vita, sei mio ben.
S. GIOVANNI
O Cleofe, o Maddalena,
Del mio Divin Maestro amanti amate, O quant' invidio, quanto, Quelle che ora versate
Stille di puro amor più che di pianto; Spero presto vederie per coronare
Il mio Sigor risorto, da rugiade di duol
Cangiarsi in perle.
MADDALENA
Giovanni, tu che fosti del mio Gesù, Discepolo diletto, e degl'arcani suoi
Secretario fedel, solo tu puoi di speme
Più tranquilla ravvivar nel mio sen
Qualche scintilla.
S. GIOVANNI
Già la seconda notte
Da ch'egli estinto giacque, Col carro suo di tenebroso gelo
Tutta varcò la sommità del Cielo,
E del Ganges u l'acque
Attende già la risvegliata aurora
Del nuovo sole il lucido ritorno; Ma il nostro Sole ancora
A noi tornar proise il terzo giorno. Console dunque il vostro cor che geme
Una si bella e si vicina speme.
CLEOPHAS
If in my anguished mind Jesus is ever present, His face, though pale and drawn, suffices to console me.
Duet
MAGDALENA
Sweet nails, beloved thorns, come from those feet and from that brow and pierce my breast.
CLEOPHAS
Dear sorrow-laden countenance, though pale and lacerated, Thou art my life, my love.
ST. JOHN
O Cleophas, O Magdalene, beloved lovers of my divine Master, oh how much I envy those drops of pure love rather than of tears which you are shedding now; 'tis my hope to see them soon set in the diadem of my risen Lord, transformed from dews of anguish into pearls.
MAGDALENA
John, thou who wert my Jesus' beloved disciple, and faithful scribe of His of His mysteries, thou alone canst revive In my heart some spark of calmer hope.
ST. JOHN
Since our Lord relinquished His life, night, in his dark and icy chariot has twice traversed the expanse of heaven's vault, and above the Ganges' waters the newly awakened dawn awaits already the bright resurgence of the rising sun. But our Sun, too, hath promised that on the third day He would return to us. Then let your grieving hearts be comforted by this sweet hope, so soon to be fulfilled.
TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS
CLEOFE
Ma dinne, e sarà vero che risorga Gesù?
S. GIOVANNI
S'egli l'ha detto, chi mai di menzognero Osersu, d'arguir labbro divino?
MADDALENA
Su, dunque Andiamo, e pria ch'il
Mattutino raggio dell'orizzonte il lembo lndori, andiam non osservate al sacro Avello, che almen potremmo in quello
Con balsami ed odori unger la fredda
Esanimata salma di chi fu già di noi
La Vita e l'Alma.
S. GIOVANNI
ltene pure, o fide amiche donne, Al destinato loco, ch'ivi forse potrete
Del vostro bel desio trovar le mete,
Mentr'io torno a colei che già per Madre mi diè nell'ultim'ore
Del suo penoso agone il mio Signore.
S. GIOVANNI
Cosi la Tortorella talor
Piange e si lagna.
Perchè la sua compagna
Vede, ch'augel feroce
Dal nido gli rubò.
Ma poi, libera e bella
Se ritornar la sente, Compensa in lieta voce
Quell gemito dolente
Che mesta già formò.
Cosi la tortorella, etc.
CLEOPHAS
Tell us, is it true that Jesus will rise again?
ST. JOHN
If He hath said so, who shall dare accuse divine lips of lying?
MAGDALENA
Come, then, let us go, and ere the rays of morning gild the rim of the horizon, let us to the sacred tomb repair unseen, for the least office we can do is to anoint with balms and perfumes the cold and lifeless body of the One who was our life, our spirit.
ST. JOHN
Go then, ye faithful and devoted women, to the appointed place, for there ye may find your noble hearts' desire; I shall meanwhile return to our Lord's Mother, whom He, in His final hours, Entrusted to my filial devotion.
ST. JOHN
Thus may the turtle dove weep and lament, believing that her mate hath been snatched from the nest by a fierce bird of prey.
Yet when he returneth free and in all his beauty, her joyful song will compensate the pitiful laments She uttered in her grief.
Thus may the turtle-dove, etc.
PART 1, SCENE 3
The Angel calls for the blessed souls, led by Adam and Eve, to rise with Christ and join in celebrating his victory.
ANGELO
Uscite pure, uscite dall'oscura
Prigione, ove si lunga ed orrida
ANGEL
Come forth, come forth from the dark dungeon where for such a long and
Stagione questo giorno attendeste, Anime belle! Uscite pure, e uscite a Vagheggiare, a posseder le stelle!
Di quell Signor che ha viinto per voi
La Morte e 'l contumace Averno, Il trionfo seguite. E voi primi venite, O primi padri delle urnane genti, né S'odan piú lamenti del vostro antico Errore, or ch'ebbe in sorte un tanto Redentore seguano gl'altri poi, e per L'orme di luce che del divino Duce il Glorioso piè stampa nell'ombre, da Questo centro squallido e profondo
Sorgan con lui sovra l'aperto mondo.
Ma con eco festive replichi prima il lor
Devote labbro:
ANGELO
Il Nume vincitor Trionfi, Regni e viva!
CORO
It Nume vincitor, Trionfi, Regni e viva, Un Dio vincitor!
ANGELO
Viva e trionfi quell Dio cosi grande
Che I cieli spande, Che al sol dà splendor.
CORO
Per cui Cocito Geme atterrito, Da cui fu inta la Morte ancor.
ANGEL E CORO ll nume vincitor, etc.
dismal age ye have awaited this day, o blessed souls! Come forth, I say, come to gaze upon and the to possess the stars!
Join in the triumph of the Lord who hath for you conquered Death and Hell's obduracy. Be ye the first to come, o first parents of the human race, and let lamentations of your ancient sin be heard no more, now that the Redeemer's hour is here. Then let the others follow, and along the path of shining prints that the glorious feet of the divine Leader leave on the dark way, come forth from this deep and dismal place and rise with Him into the open air.
But first with jubilation let your devout lips repeat:
ANGEL
May the victorious God, triumphant, reign forever!
CHORUS
May the victorious God triumphant, reign and live forever, an all-conquering God!
ANGEL
May He live triumphant, the mighty God who hath spread out the heavens and given the sun his light!
CHORUS
Before whom Cocytus moaneth in terror, He who hath conquered Death itself.
ANGEL and CHORUS
May the victorious God, etc.
I N T E R M I S S I O N
PART 2, SCENE 1
St. John greets the dawn of the third day, and hopes that the tremors preceding the dawn may have indicated the end of the final battle in Hell. He goes to visit Mary, the Mother of Jesus, hoping that she has good news.
S. GIOVANNI
Di quai nuovi portent
TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS
Ha la terra oggi ancora il sen fecondo?
Piansero gli elementi
Del lor Fabbro immortal la morte fiera, E d'un giorno che spera
Di vederlo risorto,
Con gl'istessi tremor
Par ch'il suolo paventi I primi albori
Ma forse dell'inferno,
Che del Dio vincitor l'asta percosse, Gli ultimi sforzi son, l'ultie scosse.
S. GIOVANNI
Ecco il sol, ch'esce dal mare
E più chiaro che non suole
Smalta I prati, I colli indora.
Ma chi sa che di quell Sole, Ch'oggi in vita ha da tornare, Questo sol non sia l'aurora.
Ecco il sol, etc.
ST. JOHN
What new marvels doth the earth
Yet bear within its fertile womb today? The very elements have wept for the cruel death of their immortal creator, and this day, when we await with hope to see Him risen, the earth doth shake again as if it feared the dawn.
But these may be the final throes of Hell, struck down by the spear of the triumphant God and writhing in its last and fore-doomed struggles.
ST. JOHN
Behold the sun which rises from the sea, and, shining with unwonted brilliance, enamels the fields and gilds the mountain sides.
Perchance this sun may be the herald of that Sun which we expect to rise again today returned to life.
Behold the sun, etc.
PART 2, SCENE 2
The Angel proclaims Christ's victory and explains to Lucifer that Christ will make his Glory known on earth before returning to Heaven. Lucifer says that he will prevent his own defeat from becoming known on earth, but the Angel shows him the women going to the sepulchre.
ANGELO
Risorga il mondo, lieto e giocondo, Col suo Signor!
Il Ciel festeggi, il suol verdeggi, Scherzino, ridano l'aure con l'onde, L'erbe coi fior.
Risorga il mondo, etc.
ANGELO
Di rabbia indarno freme
Coi mostri suoi l'incatenato Averno: L'Odio, che oppresso geme,
La Crudeltà, che piange, l'lnvidia, Che sospira, L'Empietà, che delira,
ANGEL
Let all the world arise, and rejoice with the Lord!
Be jubilant, ye heavens, flourish, o earth, play and smile, ye breezes, with the waves, ye grasses with the flowers.
Let all the world arise, etc.
ANGEL
In vain doth fettered Hell with all its monsters rage: Hatred, who defeated, groans, Cruelty, who weeps, Envy, who sighs, Impiety, who raves, trembling Iniquity,
L'lniquità tremante, il Furor vacillante, Sbigottita la Frode, deriso il Tradimento, Vilipeso l'Orgoglio, del mio Signor risorto
Saran carro al trionfo e base al soglio.
LUCIFERO
Miserol! Ho pure udito?
E in van per vendicarmi contro Forza Maggiore impugn l'armi?
ANGELO
Si, si, cotrasti in van; tora a Cocito!
LUCIFERO
Perché al ciel pria non torna Il tuo risorto Nume?
ANGELO
Perché pria vuole in terra
Far delle glorie sue noto il mistero.
LUCIFERO
Noti gli oltraggi miel? No, non fia vero!
LUCIFERO
Per celare il nuovo scorno, Le sue faci ancora al gioro
Con un soffio io smorzerò.
E con tenebre nocenti
Delle inferme umane menti
Ogn'idea confonderò.
Per celare, etc.
ANGELO
O come cieco il tuo furor delira!
Mira, folle, deh mira
Le donne pie che all'incavato sasso, Sepolcro già delle divine membra, Muovon veloce il passo!
A loro il Ciel commanda ch'io l'arcano Riveli, ond'esse in publicarlo a gli altri
Poi ne sian trombe Fedeli.
Duetto
LUCIFERO lmpedirlo saprò ...
vacillating Anger, cowering Fraud, derided Treachery, contemptible Pride; they shall of my risen Lord become the triumph-car, the pedestal of His throne.
LUCIFER
Woe is me! Have I heard right? Do I then arm myself in vain to seek revenge against superior power?
ANGEL
Yes, thou strives in vain; return to Cocytus!
LUCIFER
Why doth thy risen Lord not first return to Heaven?
ANGEL
Because He would first make known on Earth the mystery of his glory.
LUCIFER
Make known my disgrace? No, never!
LUCIFER
To conceal this latest shame I shall snuff out His torches This very day in a breath!
And with noxious darkness confound all processes of feeble human thought.
To conceal, etc.
ANGEL
How blind thy rage hath made thee! Look, fool, pray look at the pious women hastening towards the hollowed rock which served But now as sepulchre to the divine limbs!
Heaven commands that I reveal the the mystery to them, that they may Spread the word as faithful messengers.
Duet
LUCIFER
I shall prevent that ...
ANGELO
Duro, duro è il cimento, ...
LUCIFERO
lmpedirlo sapro! Ho ardir che basta.
ANGELO
... duro è il cimento; Lo dirâ l'evento.
ANGEL
Thy task will be hard, ...
LUCIFER
I can prevent that! My boldness will suffice.
ANGEL
... thy task will be hard, the outcome will tell.
PART 2, SCENE 3
Mary Cleophas and Mary Magdalene hasten to the sepulchre, hoping that they are not too late, but confident in the power that Jesus has given them. Lucifer, now knowing that he is beaten, flees from heaven, the sun and earth, and falls back to Hell.
MADDALENA
Amica, troppo tardo fu il nostro pie; Già il sol su l'etra ascende.
CLEOFE
Fu il cor troppo codardo, che della Terra agl'improvvisi moti Fe' I nostril passi rimanere immoti.
MADDALENA
Or chi sa se potremo Ricercar nella tomba il mio Tesoro.
CLEOFE
Se son desti i custodi, io ben ne temo.
MADDALENA lo temo ancor, ma più il mio Nume adoro.
MADDALENA
Per me già di morire non pavento Gesù
Egli mi da l'ardire, per lui nulla pavento, Né morte, né tormento: quando ho Gesù net cor, non temo piú.
Per me già di morire, etc.
MAGDALENA
My friend, our steps were too slow; already doth the sun ascend the heavens.
CLEOPHAS
Our hearts were too timid, for the unexpected tremors of the earth rooted our feet to the ground.
MAGDALENA
Shall we now find my beloved in the tomb?
CLEOPHAS
If the guards be awake, I am fearful indeed.
MAGDALENA
I too am fearful, but love of my Lord is yet stronger.
MAGDALENA
Jesus did not fear to die for me.
He gives me courage, for His sake I fear nothing, not death, nor torture: with Jesus in my heart I fear no more.
Jesus did not fear, etc.
LUCIFERO
Ahi, aborrito nome!
Ahi, come rendi, come, Ogni mio sforzo imbelle!
Ahi, che vinto e confuse, Atterrito e deluso, fuggo il Ciel, Fuggo il Suol, fuggo il mondo, e del Più cupo Abisso torno a precipitar Net sen profondo!
LUCIFER
Alas, that hated name! Alas, how it doth rob me Of every vital force! Alas, conquered and confounded, terrified, outwitted, I flee from Heaven, from Earth, from all the world, and fall once more into the lowest depths of Hell's black pit!
PART 2, SCENE 4
The women reach the empty tomb and discover the Angel, appearing as a young man dressed in white. The Angel tells them that Christ has risen, and bids the women return to spread the news.
CLEOFE
Veda il Ciel che più sereno Si fa intorno e più risplende.
E di speme nel mio seno Più bet raggio ancor s'accende.
Veda il Ciel, etc.
MADDALENA
Cleofe, siam giunte al luogo Ove tomba funesta
Dell'amato Signor copri la salma.
CLEOFE
Parmi veder, si, si, vedo ben certo Che è già l'avello aperto, e su la destra sponda siede con bianca stuolo un giovane vestito.
MADDALENA
O quale spira grazia dal volto suo, Che mi consola! Appressiamoci a lui, Che già ne mira.
ANGELO
Donne, voi ricercate di Gesù Nazareno, Ove giacque già morto; ora non è più qui, Ma è già risorto. Al vostro puro affetto Giusto e che diano i cieli
CLEOPHAS
I see the skies become ever more serene, resplendent. And the hope within my breast burns with an ever-brighter flame.
As I watch, etc.
MAGDALENA
Cleophas, we have come to the place where the cheerless tomb closed o'er the body of our beloved Lord.
CLEOPHAS
I seem to see, indeed I now see clearly that the tomb is already open, and upon right-hand side a young man clad in robes of white is seated.
MAGDALENA
Oh, what consoling grace radiates from his face! Let us approach him, for he has seen us.
ANGEL
Ye women who seek Jesus of Nazareth where once He lay in death, He is no longer here, for He is risen! Heaven as just reward for your pure love conferreth this sweet grace, to be the first to
Cosi bella mercede, e un tal mistero
A voi prima si sveli, per far araldi poi
Per far araldi poi della sua fede.
ltene dunque a publicarlo, e sia
Primio del vostro pianto della giola
Commune il primo vanto.
ANGELO
Se per colpa di donna infelice
All'uoo net seno il crudo veleno la Morte sgorgo,
Dian le donne la nuova felice
Che chi vines la morte, già morto, Poi risorto, la vita avvivò.
Se per colpa, etc.
TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS
whom the mystery is revealed that ye may be the messengers of the faith. Go then and tell the others, and may your tears find reward in that ye are the first to spread this joy.
ANGEL
As through the fault of an unhappy woman death discharged its bitter poison Into the breast of man, then let women bear the joyful news that He who died and rose again has thereby vanquished death, rekindled life
As through the fault, etc.
PART 2, SCENE 5
St. John meets Mary Cleophas, who relates what the women found at the tomb. St. John tells her that Jesus has already appeared to his Mother. Mary Magdalene joins them and describes how Jesus has just appeared to her in the garden. All three are now confident of Jesus's Resurrection. Mary Magdalene calls on 'every mortal' to join in celebrating the Resurrection and liberation from sin, and the oratorio ends with a general chorus of praise.
S. GIOVANNI
Dove si frettolosi, Cleofe, rivolgi I passi?
CLEOFE
In traccia di Gesù, ch'e già risorto, Come ancora Maddalena
S. GIOVANNI
Onde il sapeste?
CLEOFE
Sovra l'aperto avello, Cosi a noi rivelò labbro eleste.
S. GIOVANNI
Cosi la Madre a me poc'anzi ha detto,
A cui prima d'ogni altro, Del figlio apparve il glorioso aspetto.
ST. JOHN
Whither dost thou go, Cleophas, in such haste?
CLEOPHAS
I seek for Jesus, who has risen, as doth also Magdalene.
ST. JOHN
How dost thou know this?
CLEOPHAS
Seated upon the open tomb, a celestial messenger spoke to us and told us.
ST. JOHN
I too have heard it even now from His Mother, to whom, before all others, the glorious image of her Son appeared.
CLEOFE
O come lieta avrà quell Figlio accolto!
S. GIOVANNI
Pare ch'il suo bel volto, Di stille Lacrimose umido ancora, Del Sol divino all'improvviso raggio Fosse tra riso e pianto un'altra aurora. Poi la gioia veloce corse dal seno
Al labbro in questa voc:
S. GIOVANNI
Caro Figlio! Caro Figlio, amato Dio, Già il corm io nel vederti esce dal petto!
E se lento fu in rapirmilo il tormento, Me lo toglie ora il diletto.
Caro Figlio, etc.
MADDALENA
Cleofe, Giovanni, udite, Udite la mia nuova alta ventura!
Ho veduto in quell'orto il mio Signore, Che avea d'un suo guardian
Preso figura, ma dalle rozze spoglie
Uscia Luce si pura e cosi ardente, Che pria degli occhi il ravvisò la mente. Poi conobbi quell viso, in cui per farsi bello Si specchia il Paradiso. Vidi le mani ancor, Vidi le piante, ed in esse mirai, lucide e Vaghe, sfavillar come stelle quelle che Furon pria funeste piaghe. A baciarle il Mio labbro allor s'accinse, ma Gesù mi
Response, e dir mi parve:
Tu non mi puois Toccar! Poscia disparve.
S. GIOVANNI
Non si dubiti più!
CLEOFE
Cessi ogni rio timore!
MADDALENA
E risorto Gesù!
CLEOPHAS
How happily must she have welcomed welcomed her Son!
ST. JOHN
Her lovely face, still wet with tears, brightened at the unexpected ray of the divine Sun and seemed, 'twixt smiles and tears, another dawn. The joy in her heart coursed swiftly to her lips, and she said:
ST. JOHN
Dear Son! Dear Son, beloved Lord, how my heart doth leap at the sight of thee!
Though grief was slow to tear that heart From me, delight has stolen it now.
Dear Son, etc.
MAGDALENA
Cleophas, John, hear me, Hear what new wonder hath befallen me! I have seen my Lord in the garden, and though He appeared in the guise of one of the keepers, from the rough garments radiated a light so pure, so Intense, I knew 'twas He ere my eyes had seen Him. Then I recognized that face, upon which Paradise doth gaze to beautify itself. I saw the hands, I saw the feet as well, and beheld in them, shining and beautiful and sparkling like stars, marks of the erstwhile deadly wounds. Then did I approach to kiss them, but Jesus forbade me, saying: 'Touch me not!' And then He vanished.
ST. JOHN
We can doubt no longer!
CLEOPHAS
All cowardly fears now cease!
MAGDALENA
Jesus is risen!
S. GIOVANNI
Viva è la nostra Vita, ...
CLEOFE
... il nostro Amore!
MADDALENA
Se impassibile, immortale
Sei risorto, o Sole amato, Deh fa ancor ch'ogni mortale Teco sorga dal peccato. Se impassibile, etc.
S. GIOVANNI
Si, si, col Redentore
Sorga il mondo redente.
CLEOFE
Sorga dale sue colpe il peccatore!
MADDALENA
Et al suo fabbro eterno
Ogni creatura dia lode et onore!
CORO
Diasi lode in Cielo, in terra
A chi regna in terra, in Ciel!
Ch'è risorto oggi alla terra Per portar la terra al Ciel.
ST. JOHN
To life is restored our Life, ...
CLEOPHAS
... our Love!
MAGDALENA
As Thou, invincible, immortal, art risen beloved Sun, let every mortal being Rise with Thee, freed from sin
As Thou, invincible, etc.
ST. JOHN
Yes, yes, with its Redeemer
Let the redeemed world arise.
CLEOPHAS
Let the sinner arise from his sins!
MAGDALENA
And to its eternal Creator let every Creature give praise and honour!
CHORUS
Let praises sound in Heaven and Earth to the King of Earth and Heaven! Who rose upon the Earth this day That earth might rise to Heaven.
FEATURED ARTIST
MARY WILSON, SOPRANO
Soprano Mary Wilson has been hailed as one of today's most exciting artists, receiving critical acclaim for a voice that is "lyrical and triumphant, a dazzling array of legato melodies and ornate coloratura" (San Francisco Chronicle). In consistent high demand on the concert stage, she has appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Master Chorale, Detroit Symphony, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony of Costa Rica, Singapore Symphony, Delaware Symphony Orchestra, Jacksonville Symphony, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boulder Philharmonic, San Antonio Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony, Colorado Music Festival, VocalEssence, Berkshire Choral Festival, and has performed at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. She has frequently worked with conductors Jeffrey Thomas, Nicholas McGegan, Martin Pearlman, Martin Haselböck, JoAnn Falletta, Giancarlo Guerrero, John Sinclair, Anton Armstrong, and Leonard Slatkin.
An exciting interpreter of Baroque repertoire, "with a crystal clear and agile soprano voice perfectly suited to Handel's music" (Early Music America), she has repeatedly appeared with American Bach Soloists, Philharmonia Baroque, Musica Angelica, Boston Baroque, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Grand Rapids Bach Festival, Bach Society of St. Louis, Chatham Baroque, Musica Sacra Festival de Quito Ecuador, Baltimore Handel Choir, Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Florida, Colorado Bach Festival, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Casals Festival in Puerto Rico, and the Carmel Bach Festival.
Equally at home on the opera stage, she is especially noted for her portrayals in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, and Verdi’s Rigoletto She has created many leading roles in North American and World Premiere performances. A National Finalist of the 1999 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, she has appeared with Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Dayton Opera, Arizona Opera, Tulsa Opera, Opera Memphis, Opera Southwest, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the Goodman Theatre.
An accomplished pianist, Ms. Wilson holds vocal performance degrees from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is an Assistant Professor of Voice at the University of Memphis, teaching applied voice and graduate Oratorio Literature, and resides in Memphis with her husband, son, and two dogs.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
ANNA ESCHBACH, SOPRANO
Soprano, Anna Eschbach, is highly sought-after as a performer and private voice instructor in Central Florida. Born and raised in Orlando, Ms. Eschbach has performed with numerous musical organizations throughout Florida, including The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, the Orlando Philharmonic, Opera Orlando, the Brevard Symphony, and the Villages Philharmonic
Covering a vast array of repertoire, Ms. Eschbach’s solo oratorio performances include Haydn’s Creation, Bach’s Mass in b minor, Handel’s Messiah, Dixit Dominus, and La resurrezione, Monteverdi’s Vespro della beata vergine, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Saint-Saens’ Oratorio de Noel, Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Vesperae Solennes, Faurè’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Gloria, Rutter’s Gloria and Magnificat, Vaughan Williams’ A Sea Symphony, Hella Johnson’s Considering Matthew Shepard, Forest’s Jubilate Deo and Requiem for the Living, Einhorn’s Voices of Light, as well as Orff’s Carmina Burana. Her operatic roles include Adina in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Miss Wordsworth in Britten’s Albert Herring, Mary Warren in Robert Ward’s The Crucible, and Rose in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. She premiered the role of Anne Boleyn in an original work, 6 of VIII: The Wives of King Henry VIII in 2019 – a performance which was hailed by the Orlando Sentinel as “soul-rattling.”
Ms. Eschbach was a featured studio artist with Orlando Opera for the 2019-2020 season, in which she performed countless outreach concerts, as well as the role of Barbarina in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. She has also toured internationally throughout her career, singing concerts in Switzerland, the UK, and Kenya.
Ms. Eschbach earned her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from Appalachian State University and a master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Tennessee. For the last decade, Ms. Eschbach has maintained a thriving private voice studio in the Orlando area and serves on the voice faculty at Rollins College. She performs regularly with local professional ensembles such as Bach Vocal Artists of the Bach Festival Society, and the all-female ensemble Helena.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
MEG BRAGLE, MEZZO-SOPRANO
Widely praised for her musical intelligence and “expressive virtuosity” (San Francisco Chronicle), Meg Bragle has earned an international reputation as one of today’s most gifted mezzo-sopranos. As an accomplished early music specialist, she has sung in North America and Europe with the English Baroque Soloists, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Netherlands Bach Society, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, American Bach Soloists, Apollo’s Fire, Arion Baroque and the Dunedin Consort.
A leading interpreter of Baroque and Classical repertoire, Ms. Bragle has appeared with many symphony orchestras in the U.S. and Canada including the Philadelphia, Houston, Seattle, Toronto, Atlanta, National, Detroit, Cincinnati and Colorado Symphonies; the National Arts Center Orchestra, Victoria Symphony and Calgary Philharmonic among others.
Ms. Bragle is an accomplished recording artist with over a dozen recordings to her credit. Her discography includes four recordings with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists, including Bach’s Easter and Ascension Oratorios – the vehicle for her BBC Proms debut − and Bach’s Mass in B Minor. She has made several recordings with Apollo’s Fire - Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine, and L’Orfeo Other recordings include Bach’s St. John Passion, the complete works of Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Toby Twining's Chrysalid Requiem, and Anthony Newman's Requiem. The world premiere recording of Daron Hagen’s Art of Song was released in the autumn of 2023 and a recording of Copland’s In the Beginning with the Carmel Bach Festival Chorale will be released this season.
Ms. Bragle is the Co-Founder and Director of the highly anticipated Bach Festival Society of Winter Park’s The American National Oratorio Competition for young American singers. The inaugural competition is scheduled for February 2025.
She is the afternoon classical host on WRTI 90.1 FM in Philadelphia and is an Artist in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania where she directs the Collegium Musicum and Opera and Musical Theater Workshop.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
JOHN GRAU, TENOR
Tenor John Grau has established himself as a renowned and in demand performer of oratorio and opera from Baroque to 20th-century music. As a soloist, he has performed at the Boston Early Music Festival, the Ravinia Music Festival, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Festival, and the inaugural Duke University Bach Cantata Series, to name a few.
An exciting interpreter of the music of J.S. Bach, John’s voice has “soared” (Orlando Sentinel) repeatedly with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, performing the role of the Evangelist and solos in the major works of J.S. Bach. He has also appeared as the tenor soloist in the B-minor Mass with the Boulder Bach Festival and the Rochester Choral Arts Ensemble and performed the tenor arias in Bach’s St. John Passion at St. Olaf College. Recent engagements have also included performances of Handel’s Messiah with the Rochester Choral Arts Ensemble and the Messiah Choral Society, the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 with the Seicento Baroque Ensemble and at the Montana Early Music Festival, and Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. In addition, he has numerous appearances as a soloist with Oratory Bach in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has performed with the Colorado Bach Ensemble.
John is a frequent recitalist and a strong advocate for contemporary music. His recent solo recital programs include the music of Bernstein and Copland, as well as Schubert and Finzi. He performed the tenor premier of the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers Award for Abbie Biminis’s Nattsanger, and Alec Roth’s Songs in Time of War to enthusiastic audiences in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As well as a thriving solo career, John has appeared with professional vocal ensembles such as The Singers-Minnesota Choral Artists, The South Dakota Chorale, and The Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorus with Dale Warland. He is also the co-artistic director and founding member of the Bach Vocal Artists vocal ensemble based in Winter Park, Florida. Dr. Grau’s scholarly activities contribute to the vocal pedagogy field. He has presented his research on developing tenor voices at the Minnesota Music Educators Association, and at the National Association of Teachers of Singing convention in July of 2014. His recent research is focused on vocal and physical health and the relation to vocal function and pedagogy. As a committed performer and educator, Dr. Grau also serves as an adjudicator for the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park inaugural American National Oratorio Competition scheduled for February 2025.
John received his BA in biology and music from St. Olaf College, his master’s degree in vocal performance from Northern Arizona University, and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. He has previously taught at The University of Colorado-Boulder, and The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and currently teaches at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where he is the chair of the Department of Music.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
STEPHEN MUMBERT, BASS-BARITONE
Hailed as a “Scene-stealer…with a knack for staying in character even when he isn’t the center of attention,” as well as “Vocally the most promising singer…with an assured and stylish technique” by the Guardian Newspaper for his interpretation of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Stephen Mumbert is currently an Adjunct Professor of Voice at Rollins College as well as Stetson University and maintains a private voice studio here in Orlando FL.
He is a graduate of Stetson University where he holds a B.M. in voice performance, and he also holds an M.M. in opera from The Boston Conservatory.
Performance highlights include singing Khan Kontchak from Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances in Steinmetz Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bass Soloist for the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park’s Classic Christmas Concert (which was filmed and aired on PBS this past Christmas), a concert of Handel’s Vespers with the Bach Vocal Artists, Mozart’s Requiem with the Riverside Community Chorale and Orchestra as well as with the Dakota Valley Symphony (broadcast on Twin Cities Public Television), Handel’s Messiah with the Messiah Choral Society, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, and Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, Jesus in Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Bass Soloist in Bach’s Magnificat, Bass Soloist in Einhorn’s Voices of Light, and Faure’s Requiem all with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, the Doctor in the Death of Ivan Ilych, Count Monterone in Rigoletto, Actor 8 in a tour of All is Calm, as well as Marco in Gianni Schicchi, King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and Santa Barry in the world premier of Four Lost Santas all with Opera Orlando.
Upcoming local performances include Bass Soloist in Faure’s Requiem at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, Salieri in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mozart and Salieri with Musical Traditions, Lucifer in Handel’s Resurrezione with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, and as a featured soloist in a concert titled “Leading Men of Broadway” with the Space Coast Symphony. Stephen is honored to be a founding member of the Bach Vocal Artists and privileged to have performed in every one of their concerts to date including the upcoming concert of Choral Works by Antonio Vivaldi this May.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
VIOLIN I
Routa Gomez
Alvaro Gomez
Olga Ferroni
Mary Bos
Renata Arado
VIOLIN II
Joni Roos
Rhonda Burnham
Victor Ferroni
Dina Fedosenko
Kathleen Beard
VIOLA
Susan Gray
Dan Flick
Jesus Alfonzo
CELLO
David Bjella
Shona Mcfadyen
Brenda Higgins
BACH FESTIVAL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
STRING BASS
Rob Kennon
Lee Kennon
FLUTE
Nora Lee Garcia
Tina Edelstein
OBOE
Sherwood Hawkins
Lora Macpherson
BASSOON
Ashley Heintzen
Sasha Enegren
HORN
Kathy Thomas
TRUMPETS
Teresa Linn
John Copella
TIMPANI
Kirk Gay
HARPSICHORD
Kristine Griffin
ORGAN
Andre Lash
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
THE KING’S SINGERS
Sunday, February 16, 2025 | 3:30pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
P R O G R A M
La Tricotea Fernando Alonso Rodriquez (b. 1961)
Music for a while Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
Frisch auf! Lass tuns ein gut’s Glass mit Wein Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612)
The parting glass
Trad. Irish
Trois Chansons Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Bois meurtri (from Un soir de neige) Francis Poulenc (1899-1963)
Les Marins de Kermor Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)
Scenes in America deserta John McCabe (1939-2015)
Traditional American arr. Bob Chilcott (b. 1955)
I bought me a cat (Aaron Copland) Shenandoah (Folk Song)
The Golden Vanity (English Folk Song)
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Fading (from Arabesques) Joanna Marsh (b. 1970)
The way you look tonight Jerome Kern (1885-1945), arr. John Rutter
A World of Close Harmony
We finish this journey with a few of our favorite close harmony songs that we have picked up on our travels, and from across our 56 year history.
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
FEATURED ARTIST
THE KING’S SINGERS
The King's Singers have set the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over fifty years. They are renowned for their unrivalled technique, musicianship and versatility, which stem from both the group’s rich heritage and its drive to bring an extraordinary range of new and unique works, collaborations and recordings to life.
The King’s Singers’ extensive discography has led to numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a place in Gramophone magazine’s inaugural Hall of Fame. Over the course of 2023, the group has released three diverse, collaborative albums that showcase the breadth of their repertoire. One marks 400 years since the deaths of two great Renaissance composers, Thomas Weekes and William Byrd. Another celebrates their body of commissioned music, including the six Nonsense Madrigals written for the group by György Ligeti (who would have turned 100 in 2023). And the third honors 100 years of Disney, with almost thirty brand-new arrangements of songs from its iconic films.
Growing the global canon of choral music has always been one of the group's key aims, and The King’s Singers have now commissioned more than 200 works by many of the most prominent composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. These composers include John Tavener, Joe Hisaishi, Judith Bingham, Eric Whitacre, György Ligeti, Luciano Berio, Krzysztof Penderecki and Toru Takemitsu. All of this new music joins their unique body of close- harmony and a cappella arrangements, including those by individual King’s Singers past and present.
The King’s Singers were officially formed in 1968 when six recent choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge gave a concert at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall. By chance, the group was made up of two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and the group has stuck to this singular formation ever since that debut. Alongside their demanding performing and recording schedule – with over 100 concerts worldwide every season – the group also leads educational workshops and residential courses across the globe, working with both ensembles and individuals on their approaches to group singing. To mark their 50th anniversary in 2018, they founded The King’s Singers Global Foundation in the USA to provide a platform to support the creation of new music across multiple disciplines, to coach a new generation of performers, and to provide musical opportunities to people of all backgrounds.
THE KING’S SINGERS ROSTER
Patrick Dunachie - Countertenor
Edward Button - Countertenor
Julian Gregory - Tenor
Christopher Bruerton - Baritone
Nick Ashby – Baritone
Piers Connor Kennedy - Bass
FEATURED ARTIST
PATRICK DUNACHIE, 1ST COUNTERTENOR
Joined September 2016
Born in 1993 to a family of musicians, and at five years of age, Patrick started learning piano with his father and singing in the local church choir. As a chorister at Hereford Cathedral under Geraint Bowen, his love of choral music took hold, particularly early music, and he became fascinated by the countertenor voice. When his voice changed he committed to his falsetto voice. On leaving school Patrick won a scholarship to Cambridge University to study Music, and to sing in King's College Choir under Stephen Cleobury.
During these 3 years he toured all over the world, recorded CDs and sang in national radio and television broadcasts each year. But his main joy during that time was singing the daily services in one of the world's most beautiful buildings, while studying music history, analysis, and composition. After graduating he moved to Oxford to become a Lay Clerk at Christ Church Cathedral. During this time, he taught at a local school, performed as a freelance soloist and ensembles member (including Ex Cathedra, The King's Consort, Gesualdo Six and Westminster Cathedral Choir). The King's Singers invited him to audition and was appointed to the group in January 2016. In the past 7 years, Patrick has learned about running a business, creative writing, public speaking, food, digital media and marketing, languages, coffee, and (of course) singing. When not on the road, rehearsing or recording, he writes a restaurant review blog called Touring Tables.
EDWARD BUTTON, 2ND COUNTERTENOR
Joined January 2019
Edward’s love of singing began at the age of seven as a chorister in the Chapel Choir at Warwick School. After finishing school, he read geography at Girtin College, Cambridge winning a choral scholarship and the Tom Mansfield Memorial Prize.
After graduating Edward was appointed Alto Lay Clerk at King's College, Cambridge. Singing seven services each week was part of a busy schedule that included recording, touring and broadcasting. He was part of the famous Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols broadcast to millions of people across the planet and also sang in the Collegium Regale (now The King's Men), the close harmony group made up of the King's Choral Scholars, that sings a vast variety of music from Byrd to the Beatles. He took part in two groundbreaking recording projects;
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
a program featuring ancient Celtic chant accompanied by little known instruments, and a disc of contemporary South American music.
In 2017 he served two years for HM The Queen, as the Alan Kendall Countertenor, one of the six Gentlemen, in her choir at the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. Highlights included a service marking the centenary of the Order of the Companions of Honor in the presence of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, filming Elizabeth I's Battle for God’s Music, a BBC television program presented by Lucy Worsley, and recording a disc of Thomas Tallis.
Edward is an experienced fundraiser and has trained in Law. Much of his time is spent running a small charity in Warwickshire, Rufus' Friends' Fund. Edward has realized there are few better things in life than making music; the creativity is limitless, helping people to feel their emotions is exhilarating, and the teamwork has resulted in lasting friendships.
JULIAN GREGORY, TENOR
Joined September 2014
Julian was born into a musical and bicultural household – an English father who was a Catholic organist and chorister and a Japanese mother, a singer. Julian fell asleep most nights as a baby to his father’s recordings of Bach and other organ works, and inevitably he wanted to learn the piano and to sing. So at the age of 8 he went off to boarding school in Cambridge, and became a chorister at St John’s College Choir for 5 years. There, he became particularly fond of the violin which led him to performing the Bruch violin concerto in his final year at Eton College aged 18.
After travels during a gap year, Julian returned to St John's to study Music. Then came a year in Germany after which he was awarded a scholarship to study for a Masters in Vocal Performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
In summer 2014 he was invited to audition for The King's Singers – a completely different proposition from a solo career and was offered the tenor position minutes after the audition ended. Since then, he has continued to develop as an individual and learn from every experience.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
CHRISTOPHER BRUERTON, 1ST BARITONE
Joined January 2012
It all started in December 1994. Christopher was taken to an Anglican service of Nine Lessons and Carols at Christ Church Cathedral, New Zealand, and as the choir proceeded down the aisle, he whispered to his Mum and Dad, 'l want to be in that choir.' After fifteen years in that very cathedral choir, he moved to England to pursue becoming a professional singer. Christopher had been teaching and conducting choirs at Burnside High School, where he had also been a student, but felt that if he didn't give singing a go there would always be regrets.
A little more than a year later, he debuted with The King's Singers. Even though he has now sung in world renowned concert halls from New York to Sydney, Beijing to London, and everywhere in between, Christopher’s biggest buzz comes from passing on experiences to the next generation of musicians through the education work the King’s Singers deliver across the world, both in-person and online. When the group celebrated their 40th Anniversary “Kiwi” Christopher was an audience member, and now that he is part of the group’s 50th Anniversary, he feels he is “living the dream.”
NICK ASHBY, 2ND BARITONE
Joined January 2019
Nick Ashby has been singing pretty much constantly from the earliest that he can remember. Growing up in an intensely musical environment with four older sisters (all also professional singers), a career in music basically became inevitable — inspired no doubt by the King's Singers tapes his family listened to as they drove to Germany to visit the grandparents! Nick grew up in Oxford, and enjoyed being a chorister in various choirs, as well as playing French horn and violin in many youth orchestras and chamber music groups.
When he began studies for Music degree at the university of York, he quickly joined as many choirs and a cappella groups as possible. During this time, he took the opportunity to start penning some compositions and arrangements, some more successful (Kiss from a Rose) than others (Nessun Dorma). After graduating in 2009 he moved straight to London and toured frequently with the Tallis Scholars, Stile Antico, Tenebrae, I Fagiolini, the BBC Singers, Ex Cathedra, and many more. As a soloist Nick performed oratorios and recitals, and was asked to perform Mozart's Requiem, and a concert of Purcell songs in Japan.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
“I've met fantastic people all around the world, performed phenomenal music in incredible venues, all the time working tirelessly with my five other colleagues to strive for perfection, even in the smallest details of music-making …I do feel so lucky to work with these friends, exploring those subconscious, unspoken musical connections, and bringing the joy of a cappella music to the world!
PIERS CONNOR KENNEDY, BASS
Joined January 2025
Piers has become the 29th King's Singer and only the fifth bass since the group’s inception, succeeding Jonathan Howard (2010-2024), Stephen Connolly (1988-2010), Colin Mason (1982-1987), and Brian Kay (1968-1982)
Piers made a real impression on the group with the richness and warmth of his low range, his clear and present musicianship, and his thoroughly entertaining performances.
Between now and his first King's Singers concert in early 2025, Piers will undertake a ‘shadowing period' during which he will join the ensemble for some its touring commitments, rehearse with them, and begin the huge task of learning and preparing their ever-growing repertoire.
In the years since completing his degree in Music from Oxford University, Piers has enjoyed a fruitful career combining both singing and composing. Alongside studying for a doctorate in composition at Oxford, he has written commissions for the Three Choirs Festival, Wigmore Hall, Ex Cathedra, and held a composing residency at St Peter’s College, Oxford. His choral work has included performing with The Tallis Scholars, Tenebrae, and Sansara, among others.
PROGRAM NOTES
The King’s Singers LIVE IN CONCERT
In the words of The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, “If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise.” Well, join The King’s Singers tonight, and you’ll also be in for some really big surprises. This program will take you on a journey through the ages, and through different landscapes, mystical forests, stormy seas, and magical new lands.
We also take a look down the road to getting older, as we celebrate significant birthdays of some of our most-beloved living British composers. Throughout this adventure the group presents its trademark sound, unique charm, and a variety of a cappella music you’ll find nowhere else.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
BRICK BY BRICK: CHANGING AMERICA THROUGH SONG
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone | Lindsay Garritson, piano
Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | 7:30pm | Tiedtke Concert Hall
PROGRAM
Selections from Old American Songs
Aaron Copland
Mantra Timothy C. Takach
Songs Without Words Charles Brown
Grief
William Grant Still Night Florence Price
Three Dream Portraits
TRADITIONAL SPIRITUALS
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Margaret Bonds
Harry T. Burleigh I’ve Been in the Storm My Lord What a Mornin’
Crucifixion
Roland Hayes Were You There?
PROTEST SUITE (Traditional)
If You Miss Me, Freedom in the Air We Shall Overcome
Somewhere from West Side Story
Leonard Bernstein
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
FEATURED ARTIST
DASHON BURTON, BASS-BARITONE
Hailed as an artist “alight with the spirit of the music” (Boston Globe), three-time Grammy Award winning bass-baritone Dashon Burton has established a vibrant career appearing regularly throughout the US and Europe. Highlights of past seasons included multiple appearances with Michael Tilson Thomas, including a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the San Francisco Symphony and Copland’s Old American Songs with the New World Symphony. Burton also performed Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Washington Bach Consort, sang Handel’s Messiah with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and performed the title role in Sweeney Todd at Vanderbilt University. Burton returned to the Cleveland Orchestra for Schubert’s Mass No. 6 with Franz Welser-Möst in Cleveland and at Carnegie Hall; to the Houston Symphony for Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex with Juraj Valčuha; and to the New York Philharmonic for Michael Tilson Thomas’ Meditations on Rilke, led by the composer. Debut appearances included Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Milwaukee Symphony led by Ken-David Masur and Dvořák’s Requiem with the Richmond Symphony. Burton has appeared at Tanglewood and Caramoor in critically acclaimed performances with Philharmonia Baroque and continues his relationship with San Francisco Performances as an Artist-in-Residence with appearances at venues and educational institutions throughout the Bay Area.
A multiple award-winning singer and an original member of the groundbreaking vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, Dashon won his first Grammy Award in 2013 with the groups’ inaugural recording of all new commissions; his second Grammy Award in 2021 for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album of Dame Ethyl Smyth’s masterwork The Prison with The Experiential Orchestra; and his third Grammy Award in 2024.
His other recordings include Songs of Struggle & Redemption: We Shall Overcome, the Grammy-nominated recording of Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road; Holocaust, 1944 by Lori Laitman; and Caroline Shaw’s The Listeners with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. His album of spirituals garnered high praise and was singled out by The New York Times as “profoundly moving…a beautiful and lovable disc.”
Burton received a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College and Conservatory, and a Master of Music degree from Yale University’s Institute of Sacred Music. He is an assistant professor of voice at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
AMERICAN NATIONAL ORATORIO COMPETITION
2025
Finals Concert:
Thurs. February 20 • 7:30 pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
Masterclasses
Tues. February 18 • 10:30 am |
Wed. February 19 • 10:30 am
University Club of Winter Park Tiedtke Concert Hall
DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF ORATORIO
Join us for an inspiring Masterclass with the finalists of the American National Oratorio Competition, where emerging talent refines their artistry under the guidance of renowned adjudicators.
Then, experience the Finals Concert, featuring breathtaking performances of iconic oratorio works as finalists compete for the coveted title.
Both events are free and open to the public.
World Class Judges
Mary Wilson, soprano
Meg Bragle, mezzo-soprano
John Grau, tenor
Dashon Burton, baritone
Finalists
Andrew Bearden Brown, tenor
Tyrese Byrd, tenor
Carley DeFranco, soprano
Morgan Mastrangelo, tenor
Claire McCahan, mezzo-soprano
Edmund Milly, bass-baritone
Molly Netter, soprano
Addy Sterrett, soprano
Learn more at BachFestivalFlorida.org/oratorio-competition
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
MASS IN B MINOR, BWV 232 (135’)
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
(1685-1750)
John V. Sinclair, conductor
Bach Vocal Artists
Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra
Friday, February 21, 2025 | 7:30pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
I. Missa (Kyrie & Gloria)
1. Kyrie eleison I
2. Christe eleison
PROGRAM
Jessica Beebe, soprano
Amanda Crider, mezzo-soprano
3. Kyrie eleison II
4. Gloria in excelsis
5. Et in terra pax
6. Laudamus te
Laura Choi Stuart, soprano
7. Gratias agimus tibi
8. Domine Deus
Anna Eschbach, soprano
Eric Gustafson, tenor
9. Qui tollis peccata mundi
10. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris
Amanda Crider, mezzo-soprano
11. Quoniam tu solus sanctus
Brandon Hendrickson, bass-baritone
12. Cum Sancto Spiritu
II. Symbolum Nicenum (Credo)
13. Credo in unum Deum
14. Patrem omnipotentem
15. Et in unum Dominum
Catherine Psarakis, soprano
Patricia Thompson, mezzo-soprano
16. Et incarnatus est
17. Crucifixus
18. Et resurrexit
19. Et in Spiritum Sanctum
Brian Ming Chu, bass
20. Confiteor
21. Et expect
III. Sanctus
22. Sanctus - Pleni sunt coeli
IV. Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei et Dona nobis pacem
23. Osanna
24. Benedictus
Steven Soph, tenor
25. Osanna
26. Agnus Dei
Thea Lobos, alto
27. Dona nobis pacem
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
Mass in b minor, BWV 232 – J S Bach
I. MISSA
1. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.
2. Christe eleison. Christ, have mercy.
3. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy.
4. Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to God on high
5. et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. and on earth peace to persons of good will.
6. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you.
7. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. We give you thanks on account of your great glory.
8. Domine Deus, rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens, Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe altissime, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Lord God, heavenly king, God Father almighty, Lord only begotten Son, Jesus Christ most high, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
9. Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis, qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram. You who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you who take away the sins of the world, accept our prayer.
10. Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis, You who sit at the right [hand] of the Father, have mercy on us,
11. quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, or you alone are holy, you alone are Lord, you alone are most high, Jesus Christ,
12. cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, amen. with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father, amen.
II. SYMBOLUM NICENUM
13. Credo in unum Deum; I believe in one God;
14. Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things, seen and unseen
15. Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de. And [I believe] in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all the ages, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made of one substance with the Father; through whom all things were made, [the Son] who on account of us human beings and on account of our salvation, came down from the heavens,
16. et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine et homo factus est. and was embodied in flesh, from the Holy Spirit, of the Virgin Mary, and was made a human being.
17. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est, He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered [on the cross] and was buried,
18. et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas; et ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram Dei Patris; et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis. and rose again on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and ascended into heaven, sitting at the right [hand] of God the Father; and he will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose reign there will be no end.
19. Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit, qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et glorificatur, qui locutus est per Prophetas; et unam sanctam catholicam et Apostolicam Eccelsiam. And [I believe] in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who is worshiped and glorified together with the Father and the Son, [the Spirit] who spoke through the Prophets; and [I believe in] one holy, world-wide, and Apostolic Church.
20. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum, et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum; I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead;
21. et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi saeculi, amen. and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come, amen.
III. SANCTUS
22. Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus.
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of his glory.
IV. OSANNA, BENEDICTUS, AGNUS DEI, ET DONA NOBIS PACEM
23. Osanna in excelsis.
Hosanna on high.
24. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
25. Osanna in excelsis.
Hosanna on high.
26. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
27. Dona nobis pacem.
[Lamb of God,] Grant us peace.
Mass in B Minor, J. S. Bach
The Mass in B Minor is one of Johann Sebastian Bach's most monumental works and represents a culmination and summation of his compositional prowess. Completed in the last two years of his life yet drawing from twenty five years of work, he created a historically, musically, and spiritually cohesive work.
Historically: It represents one of the last great examples of baroque sacred music, synthesizing multiple styles and techniques developed over centuries. Bach incorporated both "stile antico" (old style) and baroque techniques.
Musically: The mass demonstrates musical complexity while maintaining emotional depth. Bach used a myriad of compositional techniques from fugues, canons, double choruses, and creative orchestration while never compromising textual meaning.
Spiritually: Though Bach was Lutheran, the setting of this Catholic mass transcends denominational boundaries, demonstrating a universal expression of faith. The work captures Bach's deep theological understanding and skill to express spiritual concepts through music.
Pre-eminent Bach scholar Dr. Christoph Wolff sums up the importance of the last two works of J.S. Bach. “With a profusion of compositional techniques and stylistic approaches, the Art of Fugue and the B-minor Mass represent pinnacles of masterly craftsmanship, evincing extraordinary intellectual penetration of the material. Bach himself must have been fully aware of what he had achieved, in these two works, which so brilliantly enshrine his “artistic credo.”
Or perhaps, as we listen to this masterpiece, we simply need to think of what Bach himself scribed at the end of many of his works, “Soli Deo Gloria.”
-- John V. Sinclair, D.M.A.
Mass in B Minor, J. S. Bach
These notes are excerpted from the original notes printed in 1940, the first time the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park performed the Mass in B Minor and the first time the piece was performed in the South.
A little more than two centuries ago (on July 27, 1733) Johann Sebastian Bach laid before his sovereign, Augustus III, a humble appeal for patronage, accompanied by what he described as a “trifling example” of his skill as a composer. The “trifling example” consisted of the first two sections of a work whose greater pages have for almost a century been regarded as the ultimate examples of sublimity in music art –the B minor Mass.
For those who sometimes wonder why the appreciation of Bach as a composer was so long delayed, it may be pertinent to remark that no portion of Bach’s masterpiece, the Mass in B minor, was published until a century after Bach presented to the favored
PROGRAM NOTES
Augustus, at Dresden, the vocal and instrumental parts of the Kyrie and the Gloria; it was not until 1833, eighty-three years after Bach’s death, that Nageli, of Zurich, published these movements in score. The score of the remaining movements of the Mass did not appear until 1845, when Simrock issued them.
In America, the Mass as a whole remained unknown until ninety-five years after the publication of the complete score and a century and a half after Bach’s death, when the indefatigable and lamented Dr. Wolle performed the work in its entirety at Bethlehem on March 27, 1900.
It would be difficult to say when the B Minor Mass was “composed”; for much of the music was borrowed by Bach from others of his works – for the most part, from the rich treasure-house of his Church Cantatas. The score of the Mass contains, in round numbers, 2,300 measures. Of these, 638, or somewhat less than one-third, are in the movements that Bach drew from his earlier works. But it seems probable that the construction of the work, as distinguished from its composition, fell within the years of 1733-1737. If any should feel disturbed by the fact that the B Minor Mass is in large part a compilation, a sane and penetrating comments of Dr. Terry’s will supply the fitting reassurance. For it is true, as he says, that “except in so far as it illuminates the ways of genius, it is of no aesthetic value to discover the proportion of original to borrowed material in the work. The Mass is the design of a superb architect perfect in proportion and balance. Even in their adaptation, the borrowed movements reveal the creative genius, while a collation of them with their originals exposes the sensitiveness of his judgment and self-criticism”.
The B Minor Mass, despite the beauty and intimacy of some of the solo writing, is primarily a choral work, and its overwhelming greatness is to be found in those matchless expressions of the genius of Bach which, as one hears them or studies them or remembers, seem to dwarf, for a while, all other music. There is nothing to be set beside the Crucifixus, with its sublimity of pity and of grief; and only Bach could give us the glory of the Sanctus, with its sublimity of adoration, its choiring of the seraphic hosts, “one crying unto another” in affirmation of the deathlessness of beauty and holiness of those immortals who are pure in heart.
-- Lawrence Gillman
BACH VOCAL ARTISTS
John V. Sinclair, conductor
John Grau and John Sinclair, Co-Artistic Directors
SOPRANO
Jessica Beebe
Meg Dudley
Anna Eschbach
Catherine Psarakis
Laura Choi Stuart
MEZZO-SOPRANO
Melissa Attebury
Amanda Crider
Kerry Ginger
Thea Lobo
Morgan Peckels
Patricia Thompson
TENOR
Brad Diamond
John Grau
Erik Gustafson
Jacob Perry
Steven Soph
Kyle Stegall
BASS-BARITONE
Thaddaeus Bourne
Brian Ming Chu
Brandon Hendrickson
Stephen Mumbert
Joseph Trumbo
Read more about the Bach Vocal Artists at BachFestivalFlorida.org/ bach-vocal-artists
MEMBERS OF THE BACH FESTIVAL CHOIR
Liz Ausbum
Jim Beck
Frederick Blanchard
Robert Blankenship
Rebecca BlankenshipVargas
Victoria BlankenshipWaziri
Michael Burridge
Laurie Calhoun
Ellen Huey-Cassel
George Chandler
Anne Claiborne
Maya Clausen
Tom Cook
Ari Cricks
Irina Dixon
Dante Duphorne
Ashley Duvé
Cynthia Dybas
Tabitha Dybas
Dana Eagles
Jolie Eichler
Marjorie Emmert
Jonathan Erick
Bob Fields
Brad Gant
Barbara Gomes
Regunia Griggs
Greg Gronlund
Jeanné Hall
Diane Hansen
Grant Hayes
Ariel Hudak
Gary Johanson
Heather John
Sondra Jones
Beth Kassander
Amanda Kinder
Yen-Yen Kressel
Kathleen LoPresti
Leyse Lowry
Clara Mansilla
Julie Mathews
David Mattson
Carolyn Maue
Elizabeth Maupin
Margaret McMillen
Rita Merlot
Janice Meyer
Stella Monner
Aleitha Morgan
Jack Nagle
Gabe Narvaez
John Niss
Luke Noles
Betsy Owens
Liana Pacilli
Luis Padilla
Dan Preslar
Veronica Prevost
Bj Price
Mikaella Romero
Erin Rosel
Jane Scamehorn
Karyll Shaw
Beverly Slaughter
Andrew Smith
Rebecca Stracener
Herbert Suarez
Matthew Walker
Jane White
Susan Whritenour
Wave Wildman
Enrique Ynaty
Mary Lou Zobel
VIOLIN I
Routa KroumovitchGomez
Alvaro Gomez Co-concertmasters
Olga Ferroni
Mary Bos
Kathleen Beard
Shelley Mathews
Renata Arado
Olivia Skaja
VIOLIN II
Joni Roos
Rhonda Burnham
Victor Ferroni
Dina Fedosenko
Christina Gant
Jennie Rudberg
Aysima Anik
Thomas Todia
VIOLA
Susan Gray
Daniel Flick
Jesus Alfonzo
Marla Morgan
Linda Kessler
Peter Dutilly
CELLO
David Bjella
Shona Mcfadyen
Brenda Higgins
Maureen May
Amie Tishkoff
BACH FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
STRING BASS
Rob Kennon
Lee Eubank
Michael Hill
FLUTE
Nora Lee Garcia
Tina Edelstein
OBOE
Sherwood Hawkin
Lora McPherson
CLARINET
Jessica Speak
Erik Cole
BASSOON
Ashley Heintzen
Sasha Enegren
SAXOPHONE
Tamra Danielson
David MacKenzie
HORN
Kathy Thomas
Ben Lieser
Pam Titus
Nicole Clark
Justin Gittle
TRUMPET
Teresa Linn
John Copella
Fred Green
TROMBONE
Jeff Thomas
Aaron Lefkowitz
Alex Regazzi
TUBA
Robin Sisk
TIMPANI
Kirk Gay
PERCUSSION
Thad Anderson
Jeffrey Moore
HARP
Dawn Edwards
HARPSICHORD
Andre Lash
Kristine Griffin
ORGAN
Andre Lash
GUEST LECTURER
JAN SWAFFORD
Pre-Concert Lecture | J.S. Bach’s Mass in b minor, BWV 232 February 21, 2025 | 6:00pm |Keene Hall, Room 119
Lecture | Ludwig van Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Opus 86 February 22, 2025 | 2:00pm | Keene Hall, Room 119
Pre-Concert Lecture | Johannes Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, Opus 45 March 1, 2025 | 6:00pm | Keene Hall, Room 119 March 2, 2025 | 1:30pm | Keene Hall, Room 119
American author and composer, Jan Swafford (born 1946) earned his Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Harvard College and his M.M.A. and D.M.A. from the Yale School of Music. His teachers included Earl Kim at Harvard, Jacob Druckman at Yale, and Betsy Jolas at Tanglewood. His most popular books on music include Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph; Mozart: The Reign of Love; Johannes Brahms: A Biography; Charles Ives: A Life with Music and Language of the Spirit: An Introduction to Classical Music. He appeared in the award-winning 2018 German documentary The Unanswered Ives.
In addition to being a long-time program writer and preconcert lecturer for the Boston Symphony he has contributed program notes and essays for the orchestras of Cleveland, Chicago, San Francisco, and Toronto, as well as the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall, and is a commentator on NPR and the BBC.
His writing honors include a 2012 Deems Taylor Award for internet writing and a Mellon Fellowship at Harvard. His Brahms and Ives biographies were end-of-year Critics' Choices in The New York Times. The Ives biography was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle award in biography and won the Pen-Winship prize for a book on a New England subject. His biography Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph in its first week appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. His teaching positions include Boston University and Conservatory, Amherst College, and Tufts University.
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
BEETHOVEN AND MENDELSSOHN
John V. Sinclair, conductor Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra
Meg Dudley, soprano | Amanda Crider, mezzo-soprano
Kyle Stegall, tenor | Joseph Trumbo, bass
Sunday, February 23, 2025 | 3:00pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
PROGRAM
Mass in C Major, Opus 86 (43’)
I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
Que tollis Quoniam
III. Credo
Et incarnatus est Et resurexit
Et vitam venturi seculi
IV. Sanctus
Pleni sunt cœli Benedictus Osanna
V. Agnus Dei Dona nobis pacem
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 3 in a minor, Opus 56 (“Scottish”) (36’) Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
I. Introduction: Andante con moto – Allegro un poco agitato
II. Scherzo. Vivace non troppo
III. Adagio cantabile
IV. Finale Guerriero. Allegro vivacissimo – Allegro maestoso assai
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
Mass in C Major, L. van Beethoven
I. Kyrie
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
II. Gloria
Gloria in excelsis Deo, Et in terra pax, hominibus bonae voluntatis. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, adoramus te, glorificamus te!
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise You, we bless You, We worship You, we glorify You!
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, filius Patris.
We give thanks to You because of Your great glory. Lord God, Heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.
You who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
You who take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. You who sit at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus. Tu solus altissimus, Jesu Christe, cum Sancto Spiritu, in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
For only You are holy, only You are Lord. Only You most high, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
III. Credo
Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipotentem, factorem caeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
Et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all generations.
Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, con substantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt.
God from God, light from light, true God from true God, Begotten, not made, one in substance with the Father, by whom everything was made.
Qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus, et sepultus est. Et resurrexit tertia die, secundum scripturas, et ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos. Cujus regni non erit finis.
And was made flesh by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man. And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried. And He was resurrected on the third day, according to the scriptures, and ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom shall have no end.
Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, qui ex Patre et Filio procedit; Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per prophetas.
And in the Holy Spirit, Lord and giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son; Who with the Father and Son is equally worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.
Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam. Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
And one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism in the remission of sins. And I wait for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
IV. Sanctus
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts.
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
V. Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Dona nobis pacem. Grant us peace.
PROGRAM NOTES
Mass in C Major, Ludwig van Beethoven
Completed in 1807, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major came seventeen years before the premiere of the monumental Missa solemnis. In its way, it is a work which is equally mould-shattering.
Beethoven, who seldom attended church, considered music to be “the mediator between intellectual and sensuous life…the one spiritual entrance into the higher world.” His Mass in C Major moves away from dogma to embrace the free, all-encompassing sanctity of the individual. A serene, intimate contemplation of the divine, the work’s five movements (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) inhabit the dramatic world of the symphony. Beethoven told his publisher, “I do not like to talk about my Mass, or, generally, about myself, but I believe that I have treated the text as it has seldom been treated before.” On other occasions, when describing the Mass, he wrote, “Gentleness is the fundamental characteristic…cheerfulness pervades,” and he stressed that the work’s “emphasis” is “not on God or princes, but on the human being entering the church.”
It was Prince Nikolaus Esterházy II, whose family had been longtime patrons of Franz Joseph Haydn, who commissioned the Mass to celebrate his wife’s name day. Between 1796 and 1802, Haydn composed six choral masses to mark the occasion. Following his retirement, the Prince approached other composers.
Beethoven, who had little experience setting liturgical texts, studied the works of Haydn, including the Creation. In a letter to Prince Esterházy, Beethoven wrote, “I shall hand you the Mass with considerable apprehension, since you, most excellent prince, are accustomed to have the inimitable masterpieces of the great Haydn performed for you.” The work’s under-rehearsed and apathetic premiere may have been Beethoven’s “most humiliating public failure.” (Charles Rosen) For the Esterházys, it was simply too radical and convention-defying. After the performance, the befuddled Prince said chidingly, “But, my dear Beethoven, what is this that you have done again?” causing the court composer, Johann Nepomuk Hummel, to laugh. A few days later, Prince Esterházy wrote in a letter to a friend, “Beethoven’s Mass is unbearably ridiculous and detestable, and I am not convinced that it can ever be performed properly. I am angry and mortified.” Beethoven included excerpts from the Mass on a marathon December 22, 1808 concert in Vienna which included the premieres of the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, Piano Concerto No. 4, and the Choral Fantasy. The dedication to Prince Esterházy was removed, and the published score was rededicated to one of the composer’s Vienna patrons, Prince Ferdinand Kinsky.
The first dramatic surprise of the Mass comes in the opening measure of the Kyrie. For a few beats, the choir’s unaccompanied basses are heard alone. Out of this foundational “C,” emerges a theme which suggests (in Beethoven’s words) “heartfelt resignation, whence comes a deep sincerity of religious feeling.” Amid the blank slate of C major, we hear what, in an 1813 review, E.T.A. Hoffmann described as “a childlike optimism that by its very purity devoutly trusts in God’s grace and appeals to him as a father who desires the best for his children and hears their prayers.”
PROGRAM NOTES
The Gloria erupts with joyful celebration. It is a thrilling musical conversation among the full chorus, the vocal soloists, and flowing lines in the strings. Following the somber middle section in F minor (Qui tollis peccata mundi), the movement comes to a climax filled with giddy euphoria. In the final moments, there is the strange emergence of a line from Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3 (1805) in the strings.
The dynamic Credo unfolds in three sections, culminating in a joyful fugue. At moments, we hear the raw ferocity of the Fifth Symphony, which Beethoven was sketching during the same time period. In the final moments, the vocal lines are echoed cheerfully in the woodwinds. This “commentary” by the flutes, oboes, and bassoons, each with their distinct personas, moves us beyond the literal meaning of the text into a new dimension.
The tender and lamenting Sanctus moves to A major, and then to F major, before returning. The first section concludes with a military drumbeat in the timpani. The Sanctus and Benedictus are answered with the same bright fugue, “Osanna in excelsis!”
On a draft of the manuscript of the Agnus Dei, Beethoven wrote the words, “Utmost simplicity, please, please, please.” Throughout this final movement, we hear soulful interjections by the clarinet. The concluding Dona nobis pacem leaves us with the joy of simple pleasures. We are left with a combination of hushed exuberance and deep gratitude. In another groundbreaking move, in the final moments Beethoven brings us full circle with a restatement of the childlike Kyrie theme which opens the Mass.
-- Timothy Judd
Symphony No. 3, Op. 56 (“Scottish”), Felix Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn was a prodigy, born into a distinguished family of Jewish bankers and philosophers. He and his sister Fanny--also a talented composer, conductor, and pianist—were raised in a warm, intellectual, highly supportive artistic family. They matured early, and a stream of musical compositions flowed from them both. Mendelssohn was clearly one of the most important German composers of his time and infused the expressiveness of early romantic music with the clarity and intellectuality of Mozart and Haydn’s classicism. This exquisite balance found expression in a wide variety of musical genres; Mendelssohn was as at home writing Protestant oratorios such as Elijah and St. Paul as he was composing chamber music and symphonies. He created a significant body of work in his relatively short life, including major works for orchestra that constitute an important part of today’s repertoire. These works (from his maturity) include six concert overtures, six concertos, and five symphonies.
His musical style reflects, to a large degree, his upbringing and his personality—it speaks of discipline, balance, and an overall cheerful, largely untroubled mien. While his compositions reflect solicitude for clear, balanced musical structures, and an obvious avoidance of excess of romantic emotion and empty virtuosity, there is nevertheless a sentimental and emotive quality to them. And this is certainly true of his symphonies. The
PROGRAM NOTES
numbering of them is hopelessly confusing; suffice it say that Symphony No. 3 was the last composed of the five. Like some others of Mendelssohn’s works, to a degree it is a reflection of his travels, in this case to Scotland in1829. He visited the ruins of Holyrood Castle, where he conceived the opening of the “Scottish” symphony, later going on to visit Sir Walter Scott, the Highlands, and the Hebrides Islands. The symphony—not finished until 1842—is in general, a somewhat darker composition than most of the composer’s works. It is innovative in the sense that Mendelssohn called for the connection of all four movements in performance—a characteristic that later composers adopted to create the single-movement tone poem.
The first movement is prefaced by a slow introduction, followed by the faster movement, proper. The basic motive heard in the introduction will be encountered not only in the ensuing fast section, but also throughout the symphony—quite progressive for a composer of that time. The expected dance-like movement (usually heard as a third movement, but here is second) opens with the tune in the clarinet, in a distinct Scottish folk style. Mendelssohn continues his innovations by couching this movement in two counts, rather than the usual three counts, to a bar. It’s almost more than a dance in its rather wild and careening scramble. The following adagio movement has moments--including a section that sounds a bit like a funeral march--that may remind some of the solemnity of the composers’ oratorios. The last movement is really in two large sections—the first is rather tumultuous and anxious, and includes some rather dissonant counterpoint (remember Mendelssohn’s key rôle in the revival of J. S. Bach’s works). A rather mysterious, murky, chromatic passage in the woodwinds dissolves all that and leads us to the last part. It’s a majestic one that includes a sonorous hymn and triumphant fanfare-like passages.
The darker moments that had thitherto set much of the mood of this last symphony are resolved in exultation.
-- Wm. E. Runyan
BACH FESTIVAL CHOIR
BACH FESTIVAL CHOIR
John V. Sinclair, director | Lynn Peghiny, accompanist
Bryan Adames*, 4
Hallie Allen, 1
Katie Anderson, 2
Stewart Anderson, 4
Sue Antonition, 2
Catalina Arias, 4
Liz Ausburn, 4
Meg Baldwin, 5
Barby Barbara, 6
Will Barbara, 6
Samanta Basso, 2
Jim Beck, 13
Heather Bissett, 3
Frederick Blanchard, 2
Robert Blankenship
Rebecca BlankenshipVargas
Victoria BlankenshipWaziri
Andrew Bostrom
Richard Bump, 3
Michael Burridge, 25
Gayle Burton
Laurie Calhoun, 6
Melanie Campbell, 1
Sofia Cardi, 2
Charlie Carroll
Ellen Huey Cassel, 14
Richard Chambers
George Chandler, 7
Kateryna Cherenko, 1
Anne Claiborne, 1
Maya Clausen, 4
Tom Cook, 35
Vivian Cook, 6
Michael Creighton, 3
Agibail Cribbs*, 1
Ari Cricks
Carl Davis, 22
Tim Delcavo, 9
Kollin Dembeck*
Mirjana Dimitrovska
Jodi DiPiazza*, 3
Frank DiPietro, 4
Irina Dixon, 2
Jacqueline Dixon, 1
Karen Dunscomb, 2
Lilliyan Duong*, 1
Dante Duphorne, 17
Ashley Duvé, 10
Cynthia Dybas, 9
Tabitha Dybas, 5
Dana Eagles, 14
Patti Eastwood, 1
Jolie Eichler, 17
Marjorie Emmert, 6
Mary Frances Emmons, 3
Jonathan Erick, 29
Mark D. Fehrenbach
Raphael Arenas Fernandez, 4
Bob Fields, 6
Alice Fortunato, 5
Larry Fortunato, 10
Brad Gant, 3
Linda Gibson, 1
Joshua Gibson-Cribbs, 1
Rebekah Gibson-Cribbs, 1
Charlotte, Giese
Barbara Gomes, 1
Maribel Gomez, 1
Cheri Grayson, 1
Minet Gregory, 11
Regunia Griggs, 25
Gregg Gronlund, 26
James Guild, 2
Regan Gunter,
Jeanné Hall, 5
Diane Hansen, 11
Grant Hayes, 5
Pia Hernandez*, 1
Sarah Hibbs
Jay Himelfarb
Richard Horn, 2
Ariel Hudak, 8
Rebecca Hull, 14
Silvia Ibañez, 8
Howard Jaffe, 5
Jenny Jimenez, 1
Gary Johanson
Elisabeth Johar, 2
Heather John, 9
Frederick Jones, 1
Sondra Jones, 14
Beth Kassander, 9
Megan Kennedy*, 1
Amanda Kinder, 7
Yen-Yen Kressel, 18
Rob Landry, 5
BACH FESTIVAL CHOIR
Caleb Lang
Elizabeth Lang
Brian Lanier
Rebekah Lewis, 1
Arabella Lilleslatten*, 2
Kathleen LoPresti, 22
Gary Li, 1
Leyse Lowry, 10
Clara Mansilla, 1
Julie Mathews, 2
Cody Mathewson*, 3
Stephanie Matthews*, 1
David Mattson, 18
Carolyn Maue, 3
Elizabeth Maupin, 7
Michael McClory, 1
Justin McGill, 5
Margaret McMillen, 32
Rita Merlot, 18
Luiz Mestrinho, 5
Janice Meyer, 9
Susan Miller, 3
Stella Monner*, 3
Aleitha Morgan, 12
Natalie Morgan, 3
Margaret Munro, 1
Jack Nagle, 14
Gabriel Narvaez*
John Niss, 30
Luke Noles, 9
Donna O’Connor, 1
Bill Oelfke, 35
Digna Ojito*
Liana Pacilli, 12
Luis Padilla
Meredith Parker, 2
Kirsten Paulson, 4
Isabelle Perez, 2
Ashley Peters, 5
Cara Pfost Brown, 2
Martin Phillips, 24
Kurt Plotts, 19
Dan Preslar, 11
Veronica Prevost, 4
Bj Price, 20
Mikaella Romero*, 2
Pamela Rosario, 9
Erin Rosel, 1
Michael Rosenblatt
Sebastian Sanchez*, 2
Jane Scamehorn, 10
John Maclane Schirard, 8
Edward Searl, 2
Laurie Seely
Daniel Sharp, 5
Karyll Shaw, 10
Amanda Shoopman, 5
Taylor Sinclair, 10
Michael T. Sinelli*
Diana Sisley, 18
Beverly Slaughter, 50
Andrew Smith*, 1
Joshua Song*
Vanessa Spallone, 1
Yvette Stohler
Rebecca Stracener
Herbert Suarez, 1
Alona Svydenko, 10
Nataliia Svydenko, 1
Jodi Tassos, 50
Maja Lucic Tepper, 3
Jennifer Thibodeau, 3
Kristofer Thornton
Alex Tiedtke, 5
Russell Tretter*
Virginia Ubels, 12
Jeanine Viau, 8
Cezarina Vintilla, 20
Matthew Walker, 6
Christian Wangsgard*
Diana Webb, 9
Benjamin Webster*
Sarah Webster*
Jane White, 43
Susan Whritenour, 15
Wave Wildman*, 2
Gwendolyn Williams, 19
Richard Wilson, 1
Rowan Wilson*, 1
David Wrenn
Enrique Ynaty*
Emma Youngblood*
Mary Lou Zobel, 8
MEG DUDLEY, SOPRANO
Hailed for her “sparkling voice” (Opera News) and “full-toned soprano” (New York Classical Review), Meg Dudley has established herself as an in-demand soloist and chamber musician throughout the country. An avid performer of contemporary music, Meg Dudley was a featured soloist at the John Cage Centennial Celebration, as well as performing with NYC based contemporary groups such as Contemporaneous, the Martha Graham Dance, and the Mise-en Ensemble.
For the 2017-2018 season, Meg Dudley joined the Lorelei Ensemble, Princeton Pro Musica, the Monmouth Civic Chorus, the Hudson Valley Singers, the VOX Ensemble, the Taghkanic Chorale, New York Polyphony, Saint George’s Choral Society, and Manhattan Concert Productions in Carnegie Hall. Last season, Ms. Dudley was a featured soloist at St. Ann’s Warehouse in collaboration with Beth Morrison Projects and Trinity Wall Street, with TENET Vocal Artists and on tour throughout England and Scotland celebrating the 450th birthday of Tudor composer Thomas Tomkins, at the Berkshire Bach, the St. George Choral Society, with the renowned Bach Vespers series at Holy Trinity Church and with Grammy award-winning ensembles Conspirare and The Crossing in Philadelphia
In recent seasons, Ms. Dudley’s appearances include Hadyn’s Mass in the Time of War and Dan Forrest’s Lux at Carnegie Hall, in Handel’s Messiah and Vaughn William’s Mass in G Minor in Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Debussy’s Nocturnes with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Lorelei Ensemble in Boston’s Symphony Hall, in Poulenc’s Gloria with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Paul Taylor Dance Company at the Koch Theater in Lincoln Center.
A highly sought-after ensemble singer, Ms. Dudley works regularly with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Grammy award-winning Conspirare, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Grammy award-winning The Crossing, Apollo’s Fire, TENET Vocal Artists, the New York Philharmonic, the American Classical Orchestra, the Virtuoso Singers, Lorelei Ensemble, Oregon Bach Festival’s Berwick Chorus, and the Bard Festival Singers. She is a founding member of the Bach Vocal Artists in Winter Park, FL.
Other career highlights include performing with 50 Cent in a surprise appearance at Radio City Music Hall, celebrating the premier of the Starz Network’s hit show Power; background vocals for the Netflix show The Get Down (seasons 1 and 2); and the stadium tour of Star Wars in Concert, featuring the original C3PO, Anthony Daniels. She can also be heard on Du Yun's Angel’s Bone album, which won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Ms. Dudley holds a BM from the University of Denver, and a MM from Mannes School of Music.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
AMANDA CRIDER, MEZZO-SOPRANO
Mezzo-soprano Amanda Crider has been recognized for her “superbly clear diction and warmly burnished timbre” (South Florida Classical Review) and is In demand for performances of classical and contemporary opera alike.
In the 2024-25 season, Amanda returns to the New World Symphony and the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park in Beethoven’s Mass in C. Amanda makes her debut with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra in Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.
Last season, Amanda returned to the Jacksonville Symphony as a soloist in performances of Mozart’s Coronation Mass and Handel’s Messiah. The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park also invited Amanda to return for performances of Rossini’s Stabat Mater and a program titled Folk Songs & Fairy Tales.
Recently, Crider performed with Apollo’s Fire in Allure: The Three Amandas with sopranos Amanda Forsythe and Amanda Powell. Other highlights include appearances with the Grammy® nominated ensemble Seraphic Fire.
A busy soloist and recitalist, Crider has appeared regularly with Seraphic Fire, Apollo’s Fire, the Bach Festival Society of Florida, the International Contemporary Ensemble, the Cooperstown Chamber Music Festival, the Symphony Orchestras of Eugene, Savannah, Charlotte, Syracuse, Charleston, Amarillo, Southwest Michigan and Jacksonville; and Philharmonic Orchestras of Louisiana, Carnegie Mellon and Greeley. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in the fall of 2007 with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. She has performed in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Bach’s B minor Mass and St. John Passion, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C minor, Britten’s Phaedra, Bernstein’s Jeremiah Symphony, Ravel’s Chansons Madécasses, and has been a featured recitalist on the Trinity Church Concerts at One Series and with Five Boroughs Music Festival.
Ms. Crider was a grant recipient from the Pittsburgh Concert Society, and a finalist in both the Joy in Singing Debut Artist Competition and the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition. She was a finalist in the José Iturbi International Voice Competition, the 2nd Place Winner in the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year Competition, Recipient of the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition, finalist in the Oratorio Society of New York Vocal Competition and a Recipient of a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation. Crider is also the Founder of Miami’s Art Song concert series, IlluminArts.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
KYLE STEGALL, TENOR
Kyle Stegall’s performances around the world have been met with accolades for his “blemish-free production” (Sydney Morning Herald), “lovely tone and ardent expression” (The New York Times), and his “dramatic vividness” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch).
Mr. Stegall’s career, spanning concert, opera, small ensemble groups and recital stages has grown out of his “ability to absorb viewers into the action” (SF Classical Voice). His successful solo debuts in Japan, Australia, Vienna, Italy, Singapore, and Canada as well as on major stages across America have been in collaboration with many of the world’s most celebrated artistic directors including Manfred Honeck, Joseph Flummerfelt, William Christie, Masaaki Suzuki, and Stephen Stubbs.
A passionate devotion to recital repertoire was nurtured during Mr. Stegall’s graduate study at the University of Michigan where he trained under the guidance of Caroline Helton and Martin Katz. His devotion to the promotion and preservation of the vocal recital was strengthened when he was twice selected as a fellow with the Britten-Pears Institute at the Aldeburgh Music Festival, where he studied Schubert Lieder and Britten Song under the guidance of Ian Bostridge, Malcolm Martineau, Julius Drake, and Christoph Prégardien. Together with fortepianist Eric Zivian, Mr. Stegall is zealously bringing the intimacy of this centuries-old repertoire to modern audiences. Wholly dedicated to detail in interpretation, his performances are characterized by an unfailing attention to style and a penetrating directness of communication.
Mr. Stegall earned his Artist Diploma at the Yale School of Music as a member of the Institute of Sacred Music and sang with Yale Schola Cantorum. While a student there, he studied performance practice of Baroque music and premiered many new works. His career has continued to be heavily involved in modern premieres of ancient works, as well as world premieres of new works.
Heard frequently as Evangelist and tenor soloist in the passions and cantatas of J.S. Bach with a number of prominent Baroque orchstras, Kyle Stegall made his Lincoln Center debut in Bach’s St. John Passion under the direction of the Bach Collegium Japan’s artistic director, Masaaki Suzuki. In demand as a symphonic soloist, his seasons often include the oratorios of Handel and Haydn, the great masses of Mozart and Beethoven, and works from the Bel Canto and 20th century concert canon.
Holding a special relationship with the music of Benjamin Britten, Kyle Stegall was twice invited to participate as a fellow at the Aldeburgh Music Festival, in the composer’s hometown of Suffolk, England. He has been heard in recital singing all of the composer’s cycles for tenor, including Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. A dedicated proponent of the song recital, he personally curates recitals each season which reveal the vast colors and emotional range the collected repertoire has to offer.
Kyle Stegall is a dedicated teacher of singing and maintains a private studio year-round.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
JOSEPH TRUMBO
Joseph Trumbo is a young, upcoming singer hailed for his “smooth, deep voice.” Notable choral work has included performances with the Rockford Music Collaborative, as a Young Artist in the inaugural summer of the Bach Academy under Dr. Andrew Megill, and as a former member of San Francisco’s elite new music ensemble, Volti, under Robert Geary. Joseph is founding and current member of Bach Vocal Artists with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park in Florida.
Elsewhere on the stage, Trumbo has worked as a Young Artist with Opera North, Opera NEO, and the del'Arte Opera Ensemble, among others, and is regularly involved in the premier of new operatic works like award winning Iranian American composer Niloufar Nourbakhsh's We The Innumerable at Brooklyn's National Sawdust, and Lucas Marshall Smith's American Prize Award for A Psalm of Silence. Joseph is featured in the SoundIron Mars Symphonic Men's Choir which is a stunning vocal instrument designed for professional film and TV scoring or symphonic musical arrangements. With a 30-voice male ensemble at its core, Mars delivers an unrivalled depth of articulation and sonic presence, capturing the full spectrum of male choir dynamics. From the subtle whisper of soft legato to the commanding power of robust marcato, each note offers unparalleled clarity and emotional impact. The exceptional true legato of the singing ensures fluidity and realism in transitions, making it an indispensable tool for composers aiming to convey depth and emotion in their scores. Joseph is also featured in the Olympus Symphonic Choral Collection, and as the bass soloist for the Soundiron Voices of Rapture Collection.
Joseph received both a BA and BM from Oberlin College & Conservatory and a MM from the University of Illinois, where he was a recipient of the Howard A. Stotler Voice Fellowship.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
A MUSICAL TRAVELOGUE
John V. Sinclair, conductor Bach Festival Orchestra
Bach Festival Youth Choir
Rebecca Hammac, director
Friday, February 28, 2025 | 7:30pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
Winter Park Fanfare (10’)
PROGRAM
Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave), Opus 26 (9’)
Hungarian Dance No. 1 (4’)
Michael Andrew Creighton
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
In the Hall of the Mountain King (3’) Edvard Grieg from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 (1843-1907)
The Moldau from Má Vlast (My Fatherland) (11’)
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Dry Your Tears, Africa from Amistad
Shule Aroon
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)
John Williams
Ruth Elaine Schram
Bach Festival Youth Choir, Rebecca Hammac, director
The Blue Danube
Johann Strauss, Jr (An der schönen blauen Donau), Opus 314 (6’) (1825-1899)
The Great America Road Trip (8’)
An American in Paris (20’)
John Maclane Schirard
George Gershwin (1898-1937)
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
PROGRAM NOTES
Hebrides Overture (Fingal’s Cave), Opus 26, Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, or Fingal's Cave, was composed in 1830 after his visit to the uninhabited Fingal's Cave on the Isle of Staffa, Scotland. Inspired by the dramatic sea views and the cave's mysterious atmosphere, the piece captures the power of nature with sweeping melodies and the rising and falling of motives that mimic the ebb and flow of the ocean with a vivid, atmospheric orchestration. Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture is considered a masterpiece of Romantic program music and remains one of his most beloved orchestral works.
Hungarian Dance No. 1, Johannes Brahms
Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 1 is the first of many of his most famous and lively compositions, rooted in Hungarian folk music. Originally written for piano four hands, it was later orchestrated by Brahms himself. The piece is characterized by its lively tempo, rhythmic complexity, and a dynamic interplay of accents and off-beat patterns that alternates with slower, lyrical sections. The dance’s vibrant energy and joyful spirit made it an instant favorite and capture the essence of Hungarian folk traditions.
In the Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Edvard Grieg
Edvard Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King is one of his most famous orchestral pieces, originally written as part of his incidental music for Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt (1876). The piece is characterized by its building intensity, starting softly and gradually increasing in speed and volume, demonstrating growing tension and danger. The music represents Peer Gynt’s encounter with the Mountain King in his underground lair. Its dramatic, rhythmic drive and repeated motifs create an atmosphere of suspense and chaos, making it a popular and enduring work in the classical music repertoire.
The Moldau from Má Vlast (My Fatherland), Bedrich Smetana
Smetana's The Moldau is from his cycle of symphonic tone poems, Má vlast ("My Country"), composed in 1874. It musically depicts the journey of the Vltava River through Bohemia, starting as a small stream depicted with delicate, rippling strings, then growing into a majestic river, and passing through forests, villages, and castles. The Moldau blends folk-like melodies (a pastoral peasant wedding dance) with dynamic orchestration capturing a stormy passage of rapids and waterfalls while conveying a deep sense of patriotism and natural grandeur. The Moldau remains a quintessential expression of Czech identity.
PROGRAM NOTES
Dry Your Tears, Africa from Amistad, John Williams
"Dry Your Tears, Africa" is featured in the soundtrack of the 1997 film Amistad with music composed by John Williams. The piece speaks of deep emotion and portrays the suffering and hope experienced by the enslaved Africans aboard the Amistad ship. The music blends African rhythms with Western classical elements, symbolizing the cultural fusion and struggles of the characters.
Shule Aroon, Ruth Elaine Schram
This 18th-century Irish folk song provides an authentic Celtic experience. This arrangement, a mixture of thoughtful rubato and energetic rhythms, an Irish-language chorus - written phonetically throughout - and a violin obbligato all contribute to a lively Celtic flavor and flair.
The Blue Danube (An der schönen blauen Donau), Opus 314, Johann Strauss, Jr.
Johann Strauss, Jr.’s The Blue Danube (1867) is one of the most famous waltzes in the world and is associated with Vienna’s grandeur, capturing the elegance and rhythm of the Danube River. Initially composed as a choral work, it was later adapted into an orchestral piece and is an example of the social dances of 19th-century Vienna. Over time, it has become synonymous with both classical music and the festive atmosphere of Viennese balls (New Year’s Eve with the Vienna Philharmonic), solidifying its place as a cultural and musical icon.
An American in Paris, George Gershwin
The vibrant composition An American in Paris (1928) by George Gershwin vibrantly captures the spirit of the city through the eyes of an American visitor. Inspired by Gershwin’s trip to Paris, the piece blends jazz, blues, and classical elements to represent the city's bustling streets, culture, and energy. The work's distinctive use of orchestration, particularly the vivid portrayal of a taxi ride through Paris, showcases Gershwin’s ability to blend American popular music with European classical traditions, a unique cross-culture musical fusion.
BACH FESTIVAL YOUTH CHOIR
Rebecca Hammac, director
Sofia Bonfil Cardi, accompanist
Isla Blevins
Erivyn Campbell
Charles Cao
Maven Cardenas
Grace Colon
Madelyn Colon
Carina Cook
Caleb Cribbs
Juniper Czamik
Jayden Dunn
Lydia Gibson
Carlin Kreps
Ava Kurzon
Grace Muldoon
Kennedy Page
Alexandra Peet
Romy Perez
Isabella Perez
Lauren Pichardo
Avni Raghoonandan
Eliana Ramirez
Mauricio Ribeiro
Camila Riera
Aria Vargas
Lucy Vassalli
Rui Tong Zhang
Rebecca Ziesig
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park Presents
BRAHMS AND TCHAIKOVSKY
John V. Sinclair, conductor
Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra
Dr. Byeol Kim, piano
Jessica Beebe, soprano | Brandon Hendrickson, baritone
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 7:30pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
Sunday, March 2, 2025 | 3:00pm | Knowles Memorial Chapel
PROGRAM
Piano Concerto No. 1, Opus 23 (34’)
I. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso
II. Andantino semplice
III. Allegro con fuoco
Dr. Byeol Kim, piano
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Ein deutsches Requiem, Opus 45 (72’) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
I. Selig sind, die da Leid tragen
II. Denn alles Fleisch es ist wie Gras
III. Herr, lehre doch mich
IV. Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen
V. Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit
VI. Denn wir haben hie keine bleibende Statt
VII. Selig sind die Toten
Jessica Beebe, soprano | Brandon Hendrickson, baritone
Please turn off cell phone and electronic devices prior to the start of this performance. The Bach Festival Society’s policies strictly prohibit photography, filming, or recording of any kind during performances without the express written permission of the Society.
Ein Deutsches Requiem, Johannes Brahms
I
Selig sind, die da Leid tragen, Blessed are they that mourn, den sie sollen getröst warden. for they shall be comforted.
Die mit Tränen säen, warden mit They that sow in tears shall Freuden ernten. Sie gehen hin und reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weinen und tragen edlen Samen, weepeth, bearing precious see, shall und kommen mit Freuden und bringen doubles come again with rejoicing, mit Freuden und bringen ihre Garben. bringing his sheaves with him.
II
Denn alles Fleisch ist wie Gras und For all flesh is as grass, and all the alle Herrlichkeit des Menschen wie glory of man as the flower of grass. des Grasses Blumen. Das Gras ist The grass withereth, and the verdorret und die Blume abgellaen. Flower thereof falleth away.
So seid nun geduldig, lieben Brúder, Be patient therefore, brethren, bis auf die Zukunft des Herrn. unto the coming of the Lord. Siehe, ein Ackermann wartet auf Behold, the husbandmen waiteth die köstliche Frucht der Erde und for the precious fruit of the earth, is geduldig darüber, bis er empfahe and hath long patience for it, until den Morgenregen und Abendregen. he receive the early and latter rain.
Aber des Herrn Wort bleibet in Ewigkeit. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.
Die Erlöseten des Herrn warden wieder And the ransomed of the Lord shall kommen, und gen Zion kommen mit return, and come to Zion with songs and Jauchzen; ewig Freude wird über ihren everlasting joy upon their heads: they Haupte sein; Freude und Wonne warden shall obtain joy and gladness, and sie ergreifen und Schmerz und sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Seufzenwid weg müssen.
III
Herr, lehre dochmich, daß ein Ende Lord, make me to know mine end, mit mir haben muß, und mein Leben ein and the measure of my days, what it is: Ziel hat, und ich davon muß. Sieh, meine that I may know how frail I am. Behold, Tage sind einer Hand breit vor dir, und thou hast made my days as an handmein Leben ist wie nichts vor dir. Ach, breadth; and mine age is as nothing wie gar nichts sind alle Menschen, die before thee. Surely, every man walketh doch so sicher leben. Sie gehen daher in a vain shew: surely they are wie ein Schemen, und machen ihnen disquieted in vain: he heapeth up viel vergebliche Unruhe; sie sammeln riches, and knoweth not who shall und Wissen nicht wer es kriegen vird. gather them. And now, Lord, what Nun Herr, wess soll ich mich trösten? wait I for? My hope is in thee. Ich hoffe auf dich.
Der Gerechten Seelen sind in Gottes
But the souls of the righteous are in Hand und keine Qual rühret sie an. The hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.
IV
Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen,
How amiable are thy tabernacles, Herr Zebaoth! Meine seele verlanget O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, und sehnet sich nach den Vorhöfen yea, even fainteth for the courts of des Herrn; mein Leib und Seele the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth freuen sich in dem lebendigen Gott. out for the living God. Blessed are they Wohl denen, die in deinem Hause that dwell in thy house: they will be wohnen, die loben dich immerdar. still praising thee.
V
Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit; auber ich will
And ye now therefore have sorrow; but I euch wieder sehen und euer Herz will see you again, and your heart shall soll sich freuen und eurer Freude rejoice, and your joy no man taketh soll neimand von euch nehmen. from you.
Sehet mich an: Ich habe eine Kleine
Ye see how for a little while I labor and Zeit Mühe und Arbeit gehapt und toil, yet have I found much rest. habe großen Trost funden.
Ich will euch trösten, wie Einen
As one whom his mother comforteth, seine Mutter tröstet. so will I comfort you.
VI
Denn wir haben hiekeine bleibende
For here have we no continuing city, Statt, sondern die Zukünftige suchen wie. but we seek one to come.
Siehe, ich sage euch ein Geheimnis:
Behold, I shew you a mystery: wir warden nicht alle entschlafen, wir
We shall not all sleep, but we shall werden aber alle verwandelt warden; all be changed. In a moment, in the und dasselbige plötzlich, in einem twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: Augenblick, zu der Zeit der letzten for the trumpet shall sound, and the Posaune. Denn es wird die Posaune dead shall be raised incorruptible, schallen, und die Toten vervandelt warden. and we shall be hanged. …then shall Dann wird erfüllet warden das Wort, das be brought to pass the saying that is Geschrieben steht: Der Tod is verschlungen written, Death is swallowed up in in den Sieg. Tod, wo ist dein Stachel? victory. O death, where is thy sting? Hölle, wo ist dein Sieg?
O grave, where is thy victory?
VII
Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herrn Blessed are the dead which die in the sterben, von nun an. Ja, der Geist spricht, Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the daß sie ruben von ihrer Arbeit; denn ihr Spirit, that they may rest from their Werke folgen ihnen nach. labours; and their works do follow them.
PROGRAM NOTES
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat, Op. 23, Peter Tchaikovsky
“Utterly worthless, absolutely unplayable − the piece as a whole is bad, trivial, vulgar.”
It’s hard to imagine these words describing Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto, one of the most-performed works in the classical canon. But Nikolai Rubinstein, the famed pianist to whom Tchaikovsky dedicated the piece, didn’t hold back his dislike for what today remains at center stage in concert halls worldwide.
It got off to an inauspicious start in the winter of 1874. Tchaikovsky knew his piano skills were limited, so he sought the advice of Rubinstein, a close friend, expecting encouragement. Instead, he was broadsided, and stormed from the room, quickly replacing Rubinstein’s name with the pianist and conductor Hans von Bulow.
As we know, the criticism was short sighted: Following its world premiere in Boston on Oct. 25, 1875, the concerto became an overnight sensation, and in 1958 was the first piece of classical music to sell a million records. That was the year a young Texan named Van Cliburn soared to stardom by taking first prize at the inaugural International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. In a stunning Cold War coup, the 23-year-old delivered a knock-out performance of the namesake composer’s Piano Concerto No. 1, which he performed for the rest of his life.
“It’s fresh every time you hear it or study it,” he told the Tampa Tribune before a 2006 appearance in the work. “When I practice, it’s always with the music. When I follow the pages, invariably I will find something new. That’s the test of a masterpiece.”
For some listeners, this evergreen concerto is overplayed and overwrought. For others, it never fails to thrill with its embraceable tunes and striking rhythmic flourish. No, Tchaikovsky wasn’t subtle, and the supercharged, pulsating sentiment of the music pleases both the ear − and the box office. It could not be further removed, in character or delivery, from the Brahms on this program.
The concerto opens with one of the most celebrated passages in music: a series of massive brass chords that usher in the piano in thundering octaves. After this majestic introduction, a wave of melody envelops the listener, and the pianist engages in some brilliant passage work that is, surprisingly, discarded and never developed. The entire first movement is more of a free-style rhapsody than in the traditional sonata form that guides most 19th-century concertos.
While an athletic cadenza secures the opening movement, the lyrical andantino ushers in the organic sound of the solo flute and plucked strings − a model of poise. The melody comes from the French song Il faut s’amuser, danser et rire, a favorite of Tchaikovsky’s only fiancée. The finale – marked fast with fire − bursts forward as a rousing Cossack dance, a thrilling apotheosis that demands the most of soloist and orchestra – and compels an audience to jump to its feet.
PROGRAM NOTES
A
German Requiem, Op. 45, Johannes Brahms
Brahms was, and still is, a paradox. He lived with one foot planted in the past and the other in the present, a towering figure whose symphonies, concertos and chamber works influenced many important figures in early 20th-century music, especially Arnold Schoenberg.
The last great composer of the Germanic tradition, he was a romantic classicist, classical romantic, neo-Baroque adherent and Renaissance polyphonist all in one, notes Jan Swafford in his 1997 biography on the composer: “Such a synthesis should not have worked, but he made it work.’’
Although Brahms never wrote an opera, his affinity for the voice resides in more than 200 songs, as well as such celebrated choral pieces as the Alto Rhapsody, Nänie, the Song of Destiny, and the anguished motet Why is Light given to Him that is in Misery Then we come to a singular piece that solidified Brahms’ career, the exquisitely crafted Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem), for orchestra, chorus, soprano and baritone.
If the Requiem suggests Brahms in full maturity, it is a relatively early work, composed before any of the symphonies and most of the significant chamber pieces. Allegedly distressed by the death in 1856 of his dear friend and advocate, the composer Robert Schumann, Brahms began the initial draft then revised it after the loss of his mother, Johanna Henrika, in 1865. The music throughout balances feelings of grief with those of comfort.
The Requiem succeeds on a number of fronts: Its meticulous blend of choral and orchestral harmonies into a single voice; an eloquent use of Baroque fugues; a controlled passion that avoids theatricality; a sense of inward spirituality; and the personal use of religious text. But any complexities are hidden from the listener. Brahms mastered the art of “voicing,’’ moving seamlessly from phrase to phrase through his innate understanding of tessitura – the comfort zone of a vocal part. The result: a seamless structure full of radiant sonorities and textures.
This is not a traditional Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead, but a personal statement focused on the living, with selections from Martin Luther’s German translation of the Bible. An agnostic, Brahms intended it to be ecumenical − he never mentions Jesus Christ − and he dismissed a suggestion by a prominent conductor to bring in more specific Christian references. In naming the work, he used the indefinite article “A,’’ as in a personal testament for all people − regardless of belief.
Much like the Requiem of Gabriel Fauré, this work unfolds gently, far removed from the hellfire of other treatments – notably by Berlioz and Verdi – who evoked fear through a Dies Irae (Day of Wrath). Brahms had no interest in such declamatory floggings. Instead, the plaintive textures of orchestra, chorus and soloists stay tranquil but convincing throughout. Only in the second and sixth sections do listeners feel palpable tension.
PROGRAM NOTES
It was Schoenberg, that great admirer of Brahms, who in 1950 published an essay called “Brahms the Progressive,’’ arguing that his music defied the stereotype of being an extension of the classical style. As for the Requiem, it not a soliloquy of an earlier era, but a communal work of art for all people and for all time.
1. Blessed are they who mourn – The lower strings, followed by the chorus, introduce the somber opening theme that reappears to unite the entire work. Note how the violins remain silent in order to darken the orchestral palette.
2. For all flesh is as grass – Essentially a funeral march with its ominous tapping on the kettledrums, the music is soon sweetened by the first entrance of violins. This comes from the composer’s aborted symphony in D minor, which later found its way into the First Piano Concerto
3. Lord, teach me that I must have an end – A baritone solo offers an urgent recitative against a reassuring chorus.
4. How lovely are thy dwelling places – A harmonic freshness and sense of tranquility in the choral voices make this section the centerpiece of the Requiem.
5. You now have sorrow – Added after Brahms had completed the original score, this movement features a lone soprano singing − radiantly − of maternal comfort in a time of grief. Many believe this is the composer’s tribute to his mother.
6. For we have here no continuing place – The baritone again appears and sings of life’s triumph over death, asking “where is your sting, where is your victory?’’ The movement ends with a double fugue worthy of Bach.
7. Blessed are the dead – Returning to the opening key of F major, the chorus finally addresses the dead in a remarkable reworking of material from the first movement. Its placid, ethereal coda ends the longest work Brahms ever composed.
Program notes by Kurt Loft, a journalist and arts writer who has covered classical music in Florida for more than 40 years. A member of the Music Critics Association of North America, he lives in the Tampa Bay area.
FEATURED ARTIST
Byeol Kim, piano
Steinway Artist Byeol Kim has earned a reputation for her “ingeniously colorful imagination with stage charisma” (Agata Nowakowska). Byeol Kim burst onto the international stage as a back-to-back top prizewinner in the Cleveland, Paderewski, Dallas, Louisiana, San Antonio, New Orleans, and Washington International Piano Competitions.
With a Bachelor of Music from Seoul National University, her first encounter with the United States was during graduate program auditions in Rochester, NY at the Eastman School of Music. Byeol earned her Master of Music degree under the guidance of Enrico Elisi, her roles as a teaching and graduate assistant expanded her aspirations beyond traditional musician roles.
Byeol earned two Artist Diplomas, one from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory and another from Rice University, marking her as the inaugural candidate accepted by Jon Kimura Parker. She earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts at Northwestern University under the mentorship of James Giles. Her performances have graced prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, Teatro Civico in Italy, Petit Palau Hall in Spain, Paderewski Pomeranian Philharmonic Concert Hall in Poland, Koerner Hall in Toronto, Mozart Hall in South Korea, and Merkin Concert Hall. Her recent appearances with orchestras include the Cleveland Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Dallas Chamber Symphony.
In addition to her solo career, Byeol is a highly sought-after chamber musician. and has shared the stage with esteemed artists such as Cho–Liang Lin, Jian Wang, Yura Lee, Paul Neubauer, Lyubov Petrova, and the Rolston String Quartet.
As the winner of the prestigious 2019 Astral National Auditions, Byeol's creative artistry transcends her captivating performances and finds expression in a diverse range of projects that seek to broaden the horizons of classical music. Her initiatives encompass advocacy for diversity and social causes, the creation of multimedia concert experiences, conducting Mozart Piano Concertos from the piano, weaving compelling narratives into her recitals, and engaging with the community.
With a wealth of experience, Kim excels as a pedagogue, nurturing students to embrace music as the core of their lives. A dedicated educator, she has taught at renowned institutions and music festivals, including Northwestern University and The Amalfi Coast Music & Art Festival. Dr. Byeol Kim now shares her expertise and passion with Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, where she serves as an Assistant Professor of Music.
Beyond her musical pursuits, Byeol cherishes time spent with her son, her piano-loving baby maltipoo, and her husband, finding joy through the pleasures of food.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
FEATURED ARTIST
Jessica Beebe, soprano
Lauded by Opera News as “evocative and ethereal”, “a honey-colored tone”, and "the most radiant solo singing," – soprano Jessica Beebe is steadily gaining international attention as an affecting interpreter of repertoire spanning over four centuries.
In recent seasons, she has appeared as a guest soloist in concert with The New York City Chamber Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, The Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Hall, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Raymond Leppard; The Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra; the Princeton Festival Orchestra; The English Concert under Harry Bicket, Bourbon Baroque, Piffaro The Renaissance Wind Band; The Folger Consort; the Delaware Symphony Orchestra; the Utah Symphony under the baton of Craig Jessop, and several other orchestras and ensembles.
Ms. Beebe's vast solo concert and oratorio repertoire includes major works by Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Pergolesi, J. S. Bach, Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Brahms, Fauré, Vaughan Williams , Delius and Orff. She has also performed late 20th & 21st-century works such as John Adam's El Niño; John Rutter's Requiem and Mass for the Children; and Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light
In the realm of opera, Ms. Beebe has performed in a variety of roles. Highlights of her operatic activity include the 2016 East Coast premiere of Jennifer Higdon's Cold Mountain and joining Norway's Bergen National Opera in Netia Jones' hi-tech staged production of Messiah. In 2019, Ms. Beebe debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the west coast debut of Meredith Monk's opera, Atlas. Beebe is a frequent performer of contemporary opera and is currently workshopping new operas with Opera Philadelphia by Jennifer Higdon and Missy Mazzoli.
Ms. Beebe is a member of Grammy winning ensemble The Crossing, Grammy nominated Clarion Society, Grammy nominated Seraphic Fire, founding member of Variant 6, Lorelei Ensemble, Bach Vocal Artists of Winter Park, Trio Eos and Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia.
A native of the Philadelphia suburbs, Jessica Beebe earned her Bachelor of Music from the University of Delaware, her Master of Music in Early Music from Indiana University, and a Performance Certificate from London's Royal College of Music. Ms. Beebe is a founding member of the Bach Vocal Artists in Winter Park and is on the faculty at both Franklin and Marshall and Muhlenberg Colleges.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
Brandon Hendrickson, baritone
American baritone Brandon Hendrickson is hailed as having a “mellifluous,” and “beautiful baritone.” Hendrickson has interpreted standard and contemporary opera, musical theater, concert work, and recital repertoire on domestic and international stages. Recently, Hendrickson appeared in Des Moines Metro Opera’s Emmy Award Winning Production of Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd. Additionally, he played the role of Captain Smith in an American Prize in Musical Theater First Place Prize Winning production of Titanic: The Musical with Bob Jones University.
Hendrickson has performed with many nationally recognized opera companies around the United States including the Des Moines Metro Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Annapolis Opera, and The Dallas Opera. His performances on the operatic stage have included key roles in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, The Magic Flute, in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Puccini’s La Bohème an Gianni Schicchi, and in Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss.
A frequent performer of concert repertoire, Hendrickson has been featured as baritone soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at Carnegie Hall as well as with the National Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been recently featured as baritone soloist in Cantata 212 by Bach, Mozart’s Requiem, Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms, Duruflé’s Requiem, and Mahler’s 8th Symphony. In addition to the National Philharmonic Orchestra, Hendrickson has appeared as guest artist with other major orchestras including the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, The American Festival Chorus, Helena Symphony Orchestra, Great Falls Symphony Orchestra, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Southeast Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra and Louisiana Sinfonietta.
Dr. Hendrickson was the recipient of an SEC Travel Grant which allowed him to present master classes and perform a recital titled “I Was There,” at the University of South Carolina with fellow LSU colleague Dr. Ana Marìa Otamendi. Hendrickson performs frequently by invitation throughout the United States. Having presented recitals in Malaysia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, he also performed the European debut of Paul Sanchez’s song cycle “Gothic Atonement” for the Autunno Musicale Festivale in Caserta, Italy.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Artist
International Recognition | Rigorous Rehearsals Challenging Repertoire
Since 1935, the Bach Festival Choir has been recognized by audiences and critics alike for its exceptional musicianship, national and international collaborations, and musical versatility within the classical genre. A cornerstone of the classical music tradition in the United States, the Winter Park Bach Choir is the longest-continuously performing chorus in Central Florida and the third longest-running Bach Choir in the country.
Photo credit: Scott Cook
CONTINUO SOCIETY
The Continuo Society recognizes patrons who have chosen to provide for the Bach Festival Society through their estate plans. These thoughtful legacy gifts will help sustain the Society's mission for many years to come. For more information about major and planned gift opportunities, please contact Executive Director Kathy Belinsky at 407.691.1056 or KBerlinsky@BachFestivalFlorida.org.
CONTINUO SOCIETY MEMBERS
Anonymous (2)
John W. and Linda Cone
Allen
P. Andrew and Autumn Ames in honor of John M. Tiedtke
M. Elizabeth Brothers*
Dana and Diana Eagles
Paul M. Harmon
Karen and Mickey Lane in memory of Bernice and Stanley Levy
Rob and Wendy Landry
Bonnie B. and Robert M. Larsen
Leyse Lowry in honor of John V. Sinclair
Pat McKechnie
Dr. Blair and Diane Murphy
Kenneth* and Ann Hicks Murrah
James F. Niss and Judith H. Niss
The Rev.* and Mrs. Eric Ravndal, III
Drs. John and Gail Sinclair
Bosco R. and Beverly J. Slaughter
Dr. Walter Stamm*
Heather and David Torre
IN HONOR OF JOHN V. SINCLAIR ON HIS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Anonymous (4)
Athalia and Robert Cope
Tim Delcavo
Michael and Aimee Rusinko Kakos
Susan D. Tucker
*deceased
THE JOHN V. SINCLAIR ENDOWED FUND FOR ARTISTIC DIRECTION
Established in 2020 in honor of Dr. John V. Sinclair's 30th anniversary as Artistic Director, this fund will help ensure that future Artistic Directors will have sufficient resources to maintain a level of artistic excellence. We invite all Bach Festival patrons to join the generous donors listed below to build this important resource. Contact Executive Director Kathy Berlinsky at 407.691.1056 or KBerlinsky@BachFestivalFlorida.org for details.
GIFTS AND PLEDGES OF $20,000 AND ABOVE
Cynthia and Alex Mackinnon
The Rev.* and Mrs. Eric Ravndal, III
Sally and Jack Schott
The Tiedtke Family
GIFTS AND PLEDGES OF $10,000-$19,999
S. Blair and Diane Murphy
Bill and Sheila Oelfke
Leila Edgerton Trismen
GIFTS AND PLEDGES OF $5,000-$9,999
Kathy Johnson Berlinsky
Brock and Sarah McClane
Bosco R. and Beverly J. Slaughter
GIFTS AND PLEDGES OF $1,000-$4,999
Anonymous (2)
Brian Ainsley and Candice
Crawford
P. Andy and Autumn Ames
Stewart Anderson
Michael and Mabel Burridge
Susan and Robert Christian
Dana and Diana Eagles
Alvaro and Routa Gomez
Leyse Lowry
Katie Mess
Janice and George Meyer
Gerard and Nichola Mitchell
Beth and Jack Nagle
Donald A. Nash
Liana and Fred Pacilli
Dan and Barbara Preslar
BJ Price
Ann Morgan Saurman
Vivian Southwell
Edward and Virginia Ubels
BettyJane and Cecil Wilson, M.D.
GIFTS AND PLEDGES OF UNDER $1,000
John Adams
Stewart Anderson
Meg Baldwin
Will and Barby Barbara
Jim Beck
Marianne Franus Beck
Mary Berglund-Bos
Bill and Becky Brown
Marcia and Michael Brown
Tim and Rhonda Burnham
Laurie Calhoun
Paul and Janet Chilcote
Tom Cook and Patricia
Simmons
Grant and Peg Cornwell
Alan and Susan Davis
Daniel Flick
Alice and Larry Fortunato
Bill and Joanne Frederick
Elizabeth Gwinn and Michael Galletta
Lee and Diane Hansen
Kathleen Hartung
Sherwood Hawkins and Brenda Higgins
Amanda Kinder
Wendy and Rob Landry
Karen and Mickey Lane
Aaron Lefkowitz
Kay and Gerald Marin
Lora MacPherson
Elizabeth Maupin and Jay Yellen
David Odahowski
Bill and Sherry Orr
Maurice O’Sullivan
Liana and Fred Pacilli
Martin Phillips
Dan and Barbara Preslar
Dr. Mark and Beverly Rich in honor of our favorite conductor
Lisa and David Rosen
Joe Sapora and Carol Ducas
Dr. Daniel and Nancy Sharp
Karyll Shaw
Amanda Shoopman
Diana and Tim Sisley
Brian Solomon
Jessica Hall Speak
Matthew Swope
Jodi Tassos
Charles Thatcher
Jeff and Kathy Thomas
Susan and Michael Tucker
Jeanine Viau
Cezarina and Ray Vintilla
Kathleen Wassum-Hame
Diana Webb and T.J. Trapp
Jane R. White
Patty White
Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Whritenour
Gwendolyn and Wilford
Williams
*deceased
OUR 2024-2025 SEASON DONORS
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park would like to thank the individuals and community partners below who have generously made a pledge or contribution in support of the dynamic artistic and educational programming and community engagement for the 90th Season.
BACH FESTIVAL SOCIETY VISIONARIES
$100,000 AND ABOVE
Bach Festival Choir
Orange County Government through the Arts and Cultural Affairs Program
Beth and Jack Nagle
Rollins College
United Arts of Central Florida
J. S. BACH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
$50,000 - $99,999
Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund
CONDUCTOR'S CIRCLE
$25,000 - $49,999
Mr. Alex and The Hon. Cynthia Mackinnon
The Pabst Steinmetz Foundation
Sally and Jack Schott
The Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation
COMPOSERS CIRCLE
$10,000 - $24,999
Anonymous
David and Judy Albertson
Richard O. Baldwin, Jr.
Chelsey G. Magruder Foundation
Teresa Doggett
Dr. Phillips Charities
John V. Frank
Ginsburg Family Foundation
Kathryn and (the late) Bud Grammer
Michael and Aimee Kakos
Bonnie B. & Robert M. Larsen
Massey Services Inc
Mrs. Sarah Ravndal
Wayne and Robin Roberts
Bosco R. and Beverly J. Slaughter
The Joe and Sarah Galloway Foundation
Florida Charities Foundation
Leila E. Trismen
Richard Foundation in care of Marchetta Wood
CHORAL CIRCLE
$7,500-$9,999
Anonymous
Jeff and Nichole Bromme
The Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation
Festival of Orchestras Endowment Fund
The Thomas P. and Patricia A. O'Donnell Foundation
Borron and Beppy Owen
PATRON'S CIRCLE
$5,000 - $7,499
Anonymous
Kathy Johnson Berlinsky
The Welsh Charitable Trust
Sheryl Kerr
Kelly Price
Dr. MK Reischmann
Dr. John V. Sinclair and Dr. Gail D. Sinclair
Dr. Joe and Sue Warren
ARTISTIC CIRCLE
$2,500 - $4,999
Patsy L. Duphorne
Dana and Diana Eagles
Jeff and June Flowers Giving Fund
Dr. Grant Hayes
Jeannette Leinbach
GladdeningLight
David Reynolds Mattson
BJ Price
John and Beatriz Struck
Hardy Vaughn and Betty Brady
Dr. Tracy Truchelut and Mr. Robert A. White
The Mayflower Retirement Center, Inc.
BENEFACTORS
$1,000 - $2,499
Anonymous (4)
Keith and Eleanor Ackermann
Linda and Jack Allen
Tim and Sue Antonition
Ellen Arnold
2024-2025 SEASON DONORS
Donna Borko
Mr. and Mrs. James Burrell
Michael and Mabel Burridge
Tom and Kathy Cardwell
Pilar Carvajal
O'Ann and Pat Christiansen
Tim and Vivian Cook
Robert and Athalia Cope
Linda T. Dalton
Alan and Susan Davis
Lee Eubank
Susan and Randolph Fields
Robert and Ann Flick
Barbara and Richard Fulton
G. Randall and Nancy Gibbs in honor of John
Sinclair
Alvaro and Routa Gomez
Freddi and Jim Goodrich
Susan Gray
Mrs. Janice Granier Gruber
Wallace H. Hall
Anonymous in memory of Clifford and Marilyn Lee
Paul M. Harmon
Allison and Peter Hosbein
Dr. Mimi Hull
Dr. Susan Cohn Lackman and Dr. Richard
David Knapp
Rob and Wendy Landry
The Lee Foundation
Leyse Lowry
Edward Manning
Mr. and Mrs. Rafael Martinez
Jody and Craig Maughan
Elizabeth Maupin and Jay Yellen
Jay and Alison McClelland
Dr. Margaret McMillen
Jeff and Mindy Moore
D'Arcy Murphy
Donald A. Nash in memory of Marie D. Nash
John Niss and Lisa Mouton
Dr. William C. Oelfke
Jason Parker
Dan and Barbara Preslar
Dr. F. Robert and Norene Rolle
Diane L. Sandquist
Ann Saurman
Sara and Bill Segal
Winifred J. Sharp
Karyll Shaw
The Sidhu Family Foundation
McIntyre and Skaggs Charitable Trust
Jodi Tassos in memory of John Tassos
George R. and Eleanor C. Taylor in memory of The Rev. Eric Ravndal, III
The Benevolent Charitable Fund
Kathryn C. Ustler
Donna and Keith Van Allen
Mike and Kim Weathers
Gwendolyn B. and Wilford J. Williams
Betty Jane and Cecil B. Wilson, MD
Alice Williams and Debby Zutter
FRIENDS
$100 - $999
Anonymous (9)
Sandra Albert
Judy Alper
Mr. and Mrs. Ames, In Memory of John M. Tiedtke
George and Leslie Andreae
Shan Atkins and Jim Erbs
Liz Ausburn
David B. Baer
Mary D. Balk
Mr. and Mrs. Will and Barby Barbara
Barbara Beaudry
Jim D. Beck
Patricia Guerrero and Jack Berger
Anne Elizabeth Berlinsky
Donne Bitner in memory of Michael Ensign
Bitner
Bill and Becky Brown
Lawrence D. Brown, M.D.
Dale and Patricia Burket
Tim and Rhonda Burnham
Chance and Christina Carter
Sterling and Ellen Cassel
David Caudle and Gil Villalobos
Central Florida Spokes
Richard and Terri Cerritto
Leslie Ann Chiarello
Mr. and Mrs. Don Clark
Maya Clausen
Guy and Donna Colado
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Conway
2024-2025 SEASON DONORS
Thomas Cook and Patricia Simmons
Paul and Terry Creighton
Margaret Cruickshank
Diane Culler
Enoch Dangerfield, M.D.
G. Dappert and J. Wixted
Edward and Janet Davenport
Carl Davis and Carrie Duval
Beth Desimone
Thomas DiPiazza
Dante Duphorne
Hoyt and Charlene Edge
Mary Anne Elwood
Marjorie and Harold Emmert
Nancy Engle
Candice T. Erick
Elizabeth and Philip Eschbach
Lisa Everett
Carolyn M. Fennell
Raphael Fernandez and family
Daniel Flick
Mimi Ford
Ms. Susan Fornear
The Honorable and Mrs. William Frederick
Brad and Christina Gant
Linda Gibson
Penny S. Gilman
Gail Graham
David and Cheri Grayson
Dr. Scott Greenwood and Dr. Pamela
Freeman
Stan and Regunia Griggs
Gregg Gronlund Family
Barbara Grossman
David W. Gurney, Ph.D.
Marty and Mike Haddad
Lawrie Platt Hall
Lillian Hall
John and Jennifer Hallenbeck
Debbie and Larry Halye
Diane and Lee Hansen
Kathryn Harbaugh
Karen Harris
Hilary Davis
Barbara Hillerman Lieske
Lynda Hinckley
Dr. and Mrs. G. Wyckliffe Hoffler
Lars and Julie Houmann
Bonnie C. Hubbard
Rebecca Hull and Jeremy Udell
Silvia S. Ibanez
Beth and Jack Isler
J. McLaughlin
Richard and Jeanne Jaffe
Toni Jennings
Sondra Jones
William and Sue Jordan
Frank and Etta Jean Juge
Henrietta Katzen
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kawainui
Kenneth and Ann Hicks Murrah Endowment
Richard and Martha Kessler
Bob and Betty Kimbrel
Carol Klim
Paul and Nola Knouse
Andrea and Philip Kobrin
George Kountanis
Dr. Yen-Yen Kressel
Orlando Garden Club
Dr. Mubarak Shah and Ms. Becky Lee
Aaron Lefkowitz
Dr. Mitch and Swantje Levin
Dr. Michael and Diane Levine
Nancy P. Lewis
Gary Li
Mr. and Mrs. David Linder
Dee Lore
Dr. Jim Madison
Glen Martin
Shelley and Doug Mathews
Carolyn Maue and Bryan Hunt
Justin McGill in memory of Joy Groves McGill
David and Suzi McGuffin
Walter and Carol McKelvey
Robert Meek
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Metzger
Janice Meyer
Congressman John L. Mica
Lois H. Mills
Barbara and Peter Minderman
Carolyn Minear
Aleitha Morgan
Dan and Nancy Sharp
Allison Morris
2024-2025 SEASON DONORS
Eva Burbank Murphy
Ann Hicks Murrah
Mr. Thomas Nealssohn
Jane Secrist Newnum
Roxanne Niles
Randy Noles and Sarah McArthur
David and Amy Noznesky
Leslie King ONeal
Paul and Betsy Owens
Liana and Fred Pacilli
Bradley Page
The Mary Palmer Family Foundation
Nancy Fansher Peed
Lynn Peghiny-Mells
Mr. and Mrs. John Pfost
Martin Phillips
Dr. Daniel and Lesley Podberesky
Rosalind Ray
Robert Reedy and Corrine Wightman
Tom and Cathy Regan
Dr. and Mrs. Mark and Beverly Rich in loving memory of Dr. Seymour Cohen
Bradley Roberts
Holly Rogers
Joy Roney
Elizabeth Rothard
Dr. Richard Sandler
Jane and Bruce Scamehorn
Paul Schmalzer
Jim and Pat Schroeder
David Schwind
Sara and Bill Segal
Tyler Simonton, in memory of Susie Stone
Diana Sisley
Celnah Smith in memory of my husband Leon Smith
Vivian Southwell in memory of Dana Irwin
Jeffrey T. Spoeri
Charlie Stevens
Elizabeth Stewart
Fred Lyndon Stone
Rene Stutzman
Herbert Suarez
Dawn and George Sumrall
Jackie and Rod Sward
Vernon Swartsel
E. Donald Thomas, DMD
Amie H. Tishkoff and Robert Kennon
Stephen Toth
Tim and Barbara Trombitas
Beatriz Truax
Barbara L. Turner
Anne Van den Berg
Dr. Nancy van den Berg
Lee and Judy Van Valkenburgh
Laura Vennard
Drs. Jeanine Viau and Ann Gleig
Dr. and Mrs. Paul and Madeleine Vilmos
Cezarina and Ray Vintilla in honor of Stela and Dumitru Toaxen
Nancy R. Wagers
In honor of Peter Schreyer, Crealde's Executive Director
Harold and Libby Ward
Katy Moss Warner
Diana Webb and Dr. T.J. Trapp
Craig and Jeanne Weeks
Dr. Bruce Whisler
Jane R. White
Susan Whritenour
Madeline Wiley
William C. Schwartz Fund
Stuart Wills and Sandra Piepho
Joyce and Richard Wilson
Nicholas Yarnold
Dr. and Mrs. Lee Zehngebot
Armand and Alison Zilioli
Mary Lou Zobel
* Donors in the above list are recognized for their gifts and pledges received in support of the 2024-2025 Season prior to publication. Please advise us of any errors or omissions.
We are grateful for the generous support of donors like you. View the full donor report including the most recent gifts since publication of this program at BachFestivalFlorida.org/donor-list
ABOUT BACH
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park’s mission is to inspire the human spirit through extraordinary music, featuring powerful choral performances and innovative programming that celebrates the legacy of J.S. Bach. The 90th Season will showcase a dynamic array of world-class instrumentalists and vocalists performing classical masterworks and contemporary compositions that will delight, challenge, and inspire listeners.
MUSIC-MAKING INITIATIVES
The renowned Bach Festival Choir is comprised of auditioned singers, enjoying weekly rehearsals and specializing in singing choral masterworks in partnership with the Bach Festival Orchestra.
The Young at Heart Chorale is a volunteer singing group for those 55+ years young. The group has weekly rehearsals and performs outreach concerts at local community centers.
The young musicians of the Bach Festival Youth Choirs will continue to refine their musicianship skills through weekly rehearsals and will be featured in performances with the Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra throughout the season, along with outreach concerts in the community.
ACCESSIBILITY
The Bach Festival Society is committed to making its programs accessible to all audiences. Tiedtke Concert Hall and Knowles Memorial Chapel on the Rollins College campus in Winter Park have accessible entrances and parking options available, as does Steinmetz Hall at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center in downtown Orlando. Please call 407.646.2182 for assistance with questions or concerns.
Photo credit: Sondra Jones
EDUCATION INITIATIVES
The Bach Festival Society’s Fresh StARTs program places professional musicians in elementary and secondary schools to present unique musical learning experiences. The Bach Vocal Artists offer educational outreach through open rehearsals and in-school visits.
The world-renowned musicians featured in the Bach Festival Society’s Visiting Artists Series often present master classes to students and patrons. These classes offer a unique perspective on the process of creating musical excellence.
Our popular High School Honors Choral Festival provides valuable workshop/clinic feedback from collegiate choral directors recruited from across the country. This festival helps prepare high school choirs for their annual Music Performance Assessments.
Bach Festival Society’s newest Educational program is the Choir of Distinction. Each year, Central FL choirs are invited to compete in a multi-phased audition process and adjudicated on tone, preparation and effect. Edgewater High School’s Eagle Chorus, directed by Alex Glover, and Winter Springs High School’s Bear Voices, directed by Kara Ferland, have been named the 2024-2025 “Choirs of Distinction” by the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park. They will enjoy choral mentorship, invitations to Bach Festival Choir rehearsals and the opportunity to perform with the Bach Festival Orchestra.
COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION
The Bach Festival Society of Winter Park believes that all people deserve equal access and opportunities to participate in a vibrant, creative life. We are committed to policies and practices to increase diversity in the governance and administration of the Society, to deliver programming that illuminates diverse experiences, and to engage the broader community through outreach and education.
Photo credit: Sondra Jones
TICKETS & SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGES
Subscribe to enhance your experience with exclusive benefits and get the best value.
Build-Your-Own Subscriptions
Select 3-8 unique performances and enjoy a 10% discount off individual ticket prices or 9-15 unique performances and receive a 15% discount off individual ticket prices.
Individual Tickets
Reserved seating and limited General Admission tickets are on sale now. Discounted student and educator rush tickets are available “at the door” with school ID pending availability. Group discounts are also available.
For more information, including subscription pricing and seating charts for all venues, please visit bachfestivalflorida.org/subscriptions.
PURCHASE NOW!
ONLINE:
BachFestivalFlorida.org/ tickets
BOX OFFICE HOURS:
Monday-Friday | 10:00am-4:00pm
203 E. Lyman Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789, 2nd Floor
QUESTIONS?
BoxOffice@BachFestivalFlorida.org
TICKET POLICIES
Performance details are subject to change. To learn more, please visit BachFestivalFlorida.org/ticket-policy.
MAILING ADDRESS:
Bach Festival Society of Winter Park 1000 Holt Ave. Box #2763, Winter Park, FL 32789
2024-2025
Voctave: The Corner of Broadway and Main Street
The Greatest Composers You’ve Never Heard Of: Volume 2
JIJI Guitar - Chamber Concertos
JIJI Guitar - Recital
Rossini - Petite messe solennelle with Bach Vocal Artists
Mozart - Requiem | Sibelius - Finlandia | Ricketts - Songs of War and Peace
Edgar Meyer Trio with Tessa Lark and Joshua Roman
A Classic Christmas
Takács Quartet with David Requiro, cellist
Paul Jacobs, organ (FREE) Spiritual Spaces
Big Band Spirituals
Friday, September 13, 2024 • 7:30pm
Thursday, October 3, 2024 • 7:30pm
Thursday, October 17, 2024 • 7:30pm Sunday, October 20, 2024 • 3:00pm
Thursday, October 24, 2024 • 7:30pm
Sunday, November 3, 2024 • 3:00pm
Sunday, November 10, 2024 •3:00pm
Saturday December 14, 2024 • 2pm & 5pm
Sunday, December 15, 2024• 2pm & 5pm
Sunday, January 19, 2025• 3:00pm
Friday, February 7, 2025• 7:30pm
Saturday, February 8, 2025• 5:00pm
Thursday, February 13, 2025• 7:30pm
90th Annual Bach Festival
Handel - La resurrezione, HWV 47
The King’s Singers
Dashon Burton - Brick by Brick: Changing America by Song
J.S. Bach - Mass in B minor, BWV 232
Beethoven - Mass in C, Opus 86 | Mendelssohn - Symphony No. 3 (“Scottish”)
A Musical Travelogue (Works by Gershwin, Brahms, von Suppé, Strauss, and more)
Brahms - German Requiem, Opus 45 | Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1, Opus 23
Bach to the Future (FREE)
Bach Festival Choir Alumni Recital Bach Chamber Singers Concert Modern Masterworks
Vivaldi Choral Works with Bach Vocal Artists
Saturday, February 15, 2025• 7:30pm
Sunday, February 16, 2025•3:00pm
Tuesday, February 18, 2025 • 7:30pm
Friday, February 21, 2025• 7:30pm
Sunday, February 23, 2025• 3:00pm
Friday, February 28, 2025• 7:30pm
Saturday, March 1, 2025• 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 2, 2025• 3:00 pm
Thursday, March 20, 2025• 7:30pm
Thursday, April 10, 2025• 7:30pm
Saturday, April 26, 2025• 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 27, 2025• 3:00 pm
Thursday, May 1, 2025• 7:30 pm