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Program Includes Motets from the Florilegium Portense, Bach Motets, and Contemporary Works
January 17, 2014 (San Diego)--Bach Collegium San Diego (BCSD), the city's premier early music performance ensemble, will collaborate with the San Diego State University Chamber Choir for performances on February 7 and 8, 2014.
While Bach maintained a backbreaking schedule producing weekly cantatas for his church, the motets sung at St. Thomas were likely taken from the Florilegium Portense, two volumes of early 17th-century compositions which Bach is known to have procured for his choirs, containing the music of Hassler, Lasso, Gabrieli, and others--some of the popular works of his day. These performances will explore motets contained in the Florilegium Portense, including Bach's own motets Komm, Jesu Komm and Lobet den Herrn. In addition, contemporary works by Copland, Lauridsen, Whitacre, and Montoya are on the program.
1618: Bach and the Florilegium Portense
Bach: Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden, BWV 230
Bach: Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229
Schelle: Komm, Jesu, komm
Lassus: Tristis est anima mea
H. Praetorius: Factum est silentium
Handl: O quam metuendus est
Hassler: Deus, deus meus
Gumpelzhaimer: Jubilate Deo
Roth: Lieblich und schoen seyn
Copland: Thou, O Jehovah, Abideth Forever
Whitacre: Lux aurumque
Lauridsen: O Nata Lux
Montoya: O Jesu
Friday, February 7, 2014, 7:30pm
San Diego History Center, Balboa Park
Saturday, February 8, 2014, 7:30pm
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Pacific Beach
These performances will also mark the first official collaboration between BCSD and the San Diego State University Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Patrick Walders. Bach Collegium San Diego has entered into a mentoring program with students from this elite program at SDSU's School of Music and Dance, who volunteer at BCSD events, aid in stage management, and now will be joining the choir for the first time.
"We love to bring in artists to perform with us, from all over the country and Europe as well," said music director Ruben Valenzuela. "But we are also committed to nurturing music and performance education here in San Diego, that will produce high-level artists and singers locally whom we can welcome into our company.
"That's why we've entered into a collaboration with Dr. Patrick Walders and the San Diego State University Chamber Choir, whose students have been involved with us both in musical training but also in learning the production and administrative side of the classical music performance business," Valenzuela continued. "We have recent graduates from the program working with us now, and look forward to more collaboration in the future as our mentoring program with SDSU develops."
2014 Season Continues
April sees the return of Bach's B minor Mass, which was last performed by BCSD in 2008. The B minor Mass stands as a summation of Bach's musical output, and so the date 1750 (his death year) is attached. The B minor Mass is second only in popularity to Handel's Messiah.
The season closes in May with Handel's thrilling Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno, from 1707. Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno has the distinction of being Handel's first oratorio, written at the age of 21 during his time in Rome working under the patronage of Cardinals Pamphili and Colonna. Based on the poetry of Petrarch, the text is a poetic argument for the virtue in turning our attention from fleshly preoccupations to those of the spirit, and features four virtuosic vocal soloists along with virtuosic orchestral writing.
Details and tickets can be found at the BCSD website.
THE 2013-14 SEASON
1707
G.F. Handel: Dixit Dominus HWV 232
J.S. Bach: Christ lag in Todesbanden BWV 4
September 27-28, 2013
1742 (Dublin Version)
Handel: Messiah
December 8-9, 2013
1619
Michael Praetorius: In Dulci Jubilo
With special guests TENET NYC and Dark Horse Consort
December 14, 20-21
1618
J.S. Bach and the Florilegium Portense
with the San Diego State University Chamber Choir
Friday, February 7, 2014, 7:30pm San Diego History Center, Balboa Park
Saturday, February 8, 2014, 7:30pm St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Pacific Beach
1750
J.S. Bach: B minor Mass BWV 232
Saturday, April 5, 2014, 7:30pm St. Brigid's Catholic Church, Pacific Beach
Sunday, April 6, 2014, 5pm First Presbyterian Church, San Diego
1707
G.F. Handel: Il Trionfo del tempo e del disinganno
Friday, May 30, 2014, 7:30pm St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
Saturday, May 31, 2014, 7:30pm San Diego History Center, Balboa Park
All dates, times, venues, and artists may be subject to change.
PRE-CONCERT DISCUSSIONS
Each concert is preceded at 6:45pm by a roundtable discussion between selected performers and audience members, providing an opportunity to discuss the various topics related to the forthcoming concert.
DETAILS AND TICKETS
Individual Concerts
Tickets to individual concerts are $25 or $40. Senior/Student Discount: $20
Rush tickets may be purchased at the door for $10 if any seats are still available (student ID required).
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit the BCSD website.
ABOUT BCSD
Now celebrating its eleventh season, Bach Collegium San Diego was founded in 2003 by Ruben Valenzuela with the purpose of enriching San Diego's music community with historically informed performances of the Renaissance, Baroque, and in particular the vocal works of J.S. Bach. Its members bring longstanding experience from such luminary ensembles as the Academy of Ancient Music, American Bach Soloists, Festival Ensemble Stuttgart, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and others. During its first decade, the ensemble has earned an impressive reputation, captivating diverse audiences with its unique style and highly expressive and provocative approach to the Renaissance and Baroque repertoire and beyond. The ensemble regularly participates in an international tour to Mexico City with performances at the Festival Internacional del Organo Barroco. BCSD has brought many historically informed first performances to San Diego for the first time. Such works include Handel's Theodora and Messiah, Bach's St. John Passion and B minor Mass, and Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers. BCSD was the only North American performance ensemble invited to participate in Bolivia's national Baroque Music Festival in 2012.
For detailed bios and a list of ensemble performers please visit the website.
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