(Boston August 31, 2022) The Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra and Chorus will showcase the radiant depth of JS Bach’s musical genius with Glories of Bach on October 7 + 9, 2022 at Symphony Hall. Jonathan Cohen, founder and artistic director of Arcangelo, will lead the H+H Orchestra, replacing Bernard Labadie who withdrew due to health issues. H+H will bring its signature style and historically informed approach to three works by Bach and a pair of works by one of Bach’s personal heroes Dietrich Buxtehude, including the H+H premiere of his emotional Cantata, “Nimm von uns, Herr.”
Glories of Bach will transport audience members to Leipzig, where Bach himself led these marvelous works. Featuring the tranquil Air in G String, Bach’s Orchestral Suite 3 encompasses Bach’s brilliance when writing for instruments, while the revered Cantata 140, Wachet Aug “Sleepers Wake” and Cantata 61, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland will highlight Bach’s choral prowess. The H+H chorus with be joined by soloist soprano Lauren Snouffer, tenor Andrew Haji, and bass Michael Sumuel.
Cohen and H+H will also explore Bach’s inspiration with the performance of two works by Dietrich Buxtehude, one of the most influential composers of the Baroque period. Buxtehude works were transformative for the young Bach, and audience members will see why with two cantatas, “Der Herr ist mit mir” and the H+H premiere of “Nimm von uns, Herr.” Each will be performed on period instruments just as Bach himself would have heard in the early 18th century.
“We want to give our audience a deeper understanding of JS Bach,” said David Snead, President and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society. “The performance of the Buxtehude cantatas allows our guests to get into the mind of the musical genius. Bach was so inspired by Buxtehude, that he walked 250 miles to hear his music. It will be a much shorter drive to Symphony Hall to experience these Baroque masterpieces performed with the freshness and vitality that H+H is known for.”
The 2022-23 Season
The Glories of Bach October 7 + 9 Symphony Hall
The Marriage of Figaro November 17 + 18 Symphony Hall
Handel Messiah November 25 + 26 + 27 Symphony Hall
A Baroque Christmas December 15 + 18 NEC Jordan Hall
Beethoven + Mozart January 6 + 8 Symphony Hall
Beethoven Eroica January 20 + 22 Symphony Hall
Bach Brandenburg Concertos February 17 + 19 NEC Jordan Hall + Sanders Theatre
Mozart + Mendelssohn March 17 + 19 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Bach Easter Oratorio March 31 + April 2 Symphony Hall
Crossing the Deep June 1 + 4 JFK Presidential Library and Museum
Subscription packages are also available and may be purchased by calling 617-266-3605 or visiting handelandhaydn.org.
About the Handel and Haydn Society
Boston’s Grammy-winning Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, a vitality, and a creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 208 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States). Today, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H’s numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. H+H has released 16 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.
