Bach Cantata Series: BWV 106: UMD Choral Activities

Bach Cantata Series: BWV 106

UMD Choral Activities
Thursday, March 17, 2022 . 1:30PM
Photo by Kristina Sterk
Principal People: 

Amy Broadbent, conductor
Helen Mann, soprano
Mihika Kulkarni, alto
Jacob Mitchell, tenor
Joshua Bates, baritone
Theodore Guerrant, organ

Event Attributes

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Accessibility: 

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Estimated Length: 
30 minutes

Join us in person at The Clarice or watch the livestream from the comfort of your home.

J.S. Bach, known as the great master, wrote more than 200 cantatas, and UMD Choral Activities aims to sing them all in this series of short performances led by conductors in the graduate program. Conducted by Amy Broadbent, this performance will feature Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God's time is the very best time), BWV 106.

Also known as Actus tragicus, this cantata is a poignant outpouring of grief and consolation; doubts and hope; resolve and joy. Written in 1708 in Mühlhausen, this funeral cantata by the young J.S. Bach foretells his matchless skill as a composer, and gives us a glimpse of raw emotion as one of his first forays into the cantata genre. Listen for the haunting soprano solo (with a mystical full measure of rest written in), the plaintive alto aria, the contemplative tenor aria, the resolved and joyful bass solos, masterful choral music and a heart-rending instrumental opening sonatina. This seamless cantata embodies a universe where death and life go hand in hand, and where our capacity to feel both deep sorrow and hopeful joy makes us uniquely human.

About UMD Choral Activities:

Led by Edward Maclary, the choral ensembles have achieved international renown and offer a wide array of experiences with music encompassing all styles and eras. In addition to this season’s on campus performances, the UMD Concert Choir participates in annual collaborations with both the National Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

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