2020 Bach Cantata Series gets underway

Posted 2/12/20

Kairos: A Consort of Singers, under the direction of Dr. Edward Lundergan, begins its 2020 Bach Cantata Series on Sunday, February 16, at 3 p.m. The program will be performed in the intimate and …

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2020 Bach Cantata Series gets underway

Posted

Kairos: A Consort of Singers, under the direction of Dr. Edward Lundergan, begins its 2020 Bach Cantata Series on Sunday, February 16, at 3 p.m. The program will be performed in the intimate and acoustically superb chapel of the Holy Cross Monastery, 1615 Route 9W, West Park.

The performance will feature Bach’s Cantata No. 92, “Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn” (I have surrendered to God’s heart and mind). Bach composed the chorale cantata in Leipzig, and it was first performed in January, 1725. It is based on the hymn “Ich hab in Gottes Herz und Sinn” by Paul Gerhardt (1647), and is the only chorale cantata Bach based on a hymn by Gerhardt.

As part of the service, Kairos will also perform parts of Tomás Luis de Victoria’s beautiful “Missa O magnum mysterium”, composed in 1592 and based on his well-known motet of the same name.

Kairos’s critically acclaimed Bach Cantata Series is now in its 14th year. The cantatas are performed in the context of evensong, a meditative vespers tradition that can be traced to the medieval church. The service provides an unparalleled opportunity to hear Bach’s cantatas, which are among his most significant and celebrated compositions, in the context for which they were written.

Evensong is remarkably inclusive: People of all faiths and of none return year after year. It is a contemplative, joyful observance, and offers impeccable and poignant performances of Bach’s most intimate and spiritual music. The series has become an integral part of the cultural and musical life of the Hudson Valley, and continues to receive wide critical acclaim.

Evensong is always free to the public, and all are welcome, regardless of religious affiliation (or lack thereof). A $15 suggested donation helps fund the Bach Cantata Series and ensure its continuity.

It is suggested that audience members arrive at the venue at least 20 minutes before the performance to secure seating.

Founded in 1994, Kairos: A Consort of Singers is the premier vocal ensemble of the Hudson Valley. Kairos specializes in the unaccompanied choral literature from the medieval to the present-day, and has also performed with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the Bach Festival Orchestra, the Esopus Chamber Orchestra, and the Hudson Valley Philharmonic String Quartet. The group serves as Artist-in-Residence at Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, and performs throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond.

For more information, visit kairosconsort.org or call 256-9114. Directions to the monastery can be found on its website.