Bach in the Heights, a group of singers and instrumentalists organized by local resident Edward Houser, returns to perform choruses, arias, and chorales from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio again this year.
When: Sunday, December 16, 3 pm
Where: Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church, 125 Henry St
Cost: $10
Reservations: email bachintheheights@yahoo.com or call (718) 935-1832
Bach in the Heights is on Facebook and Twitter (@BachinBrooklyn).
Bach in the Heights, a group of professional musicians assembled and conducted by Brooklyn Heights resident Edward Houser, will perform this Sunday, March 18 at 3 pm. The program will feature two Brandenburg Concertos, and excerpts from the Magnificat (this excerpt is performed on period instruments) and the Easter Oratorio.
The performance will be held at the Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church at 125 Henry Street. Tickets are $10. Call (718) 935-1832 or email bachintheheights@yahoo.com for reservations, or purchase tickets at the door.
Read our review of Bach in the Heights’ Christmas performance here. And follow Bach in the Heights on Facebook and Twitter.
It’s not easy to assemble a group of professional musicians, rehearse, and perform a complex musical work like Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio,” and it’s even harder to do it during the holiday season, but that’s precisely what Edward Houser managed on Sunday, December 11. The concert, held appropriately enough in the supple acoustics of the Zion German Evangelical Lutheran Church on Henry Street, was a splendid neighborhood treat.
The chamber chorus and orchestra (17 singers, 20 instruments) produced a rich, full sound. Mechanical issues made the ensemble a little shaky at first, but as the performers relaxed the ensemble grew stronger. The lovely chorale “Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen” best illustrated the group’s ability to display the technical intricacies of the music. Arias went to different singers; the variety of soloists meant a variety of sounds and styles, and each was interesting. Several soloists, in particular the bass James Ioelu and the mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis, were outstanding. Among the musicians, Peter Velikonja, the first oboeist, James Grasek, violin, and Paul Dwyer, cello and continuo were stalwarts.
Edward Houser has promised to make Bach in the Heights a regular event. Sign up for the mailing list at bachintheheights@yahoo.com, or follow Bach in the Heights on Facebook and Twitter (@BachinBrooklyn) for more information.