If you go
› What: Chattanooga Bach Choir’s Cantata Series.› When: 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29.› Where: Christ Church, Episcopal, 663 Douglas St.› Admission: $15 suggested donation; free for students.› Website: www.chattanoogabachchoir.org.
The Chattanooga Bach Choir continues its Cantata Series on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 29, with two choral works for the Epiphany season. The concert, directed by David Long, will begin at 4 p.m. in Christ Church, Episcopal.
The choir will sing Johann Sebastian Bach’s cantata, BWV 81, “Jesus Schläft, Was Soll Ich Hoffen?” (Jesus Sleeps, Is Hope Now Fading?) Also on the program is Georg Philipp Telemann’s motet “Laudate Jehovam, Omnes Gentes” (O Praise the Lord, All Ye Nations) taken from Psalm 117.
Joining the Bach Choir as guest soloists will be Andrea Dismukes, alto; Mark Laseter, tenor; and Zachary James Cavan, bass.
Between choral numbers, the choir’s organist, Karla Fowkes, will perform “Von Gott Will Ich Nicht Lassen” (I Will Not Forsake the Lord) from the Leipzig Chorales, BWV 658.
“Bach’s Cantata 81 was written for the fourth Sunday after Epiphany, the same day in the church year as our concert,” says Long.
“It is inspired from the Gospel of Matthew 8:23-27, the story of Jesus sleeping in the boat, who after being awakened by his fearful disciples, calms the storm and waves. Bach depicts the crashing waves and storm through some incredibly dramatic music performed by the tenor soloist and the violins.”
Long notes that this year marks the 250th anniversary of the death of Georg Philipp Telemann, the prolific Baroque composer and godfather to Bach’s second son, Carl Philipp Emmanuel, who became a noted composer himself.
“In honor of this anniversary, we will perform Telemann’s setting of Psalm 117, ‘Laudate Jehovam, Omnes Gentes,’ for choir and string instruments,” he says.