Three Days with J.S. Bach
THE BACH FESTIVAL OF CHARLESTON, which is sponsored by First (Scots) Presbyterian Church and which is free to the public, comes to town only every two years. This will be its second occurrence in a program that offers the rare chance to hear an assortment of J.S. Bach’s chamber sonatas, organ music, orchestral works, and cantatas. Here’s the schedule:
Mar 4 — Baroque Sonatas (7:30)
Mar 5 — Organ Lecture (3:30)
Mar 5 — Organ Concert (7:30)
Mar 6 — Orchestral Works & Cantatas (4:00)
Bach Festival Charleston was founded by Dr. JeeYoon Choi, Director of Music and Senior Organist at First Scots, who will play the harpsichord Friday night and conduct the orchestra on Sunday. She has assembled an impressive cast around her that includes a 40-member choir, 3 soloists, an 18-member chamber orchestra, some of Charleston’s premier chamber musicians, and world-renowned organist Stefan Engels, who happens to live with his family in Mount Pleasant when he is not teaching in Leipzig, Germany or traveling the world to perform and make recordings.
The centerpiece, though, will be Johann Sebastian Bach who incorporated the musical ideas of all the composers who preceded him and who has influenced essentially every composer and musician after him. This in spite of the fact that he never left Germany and that most of his music was written as part of his job requirements.
When I met with JeeYoon, she said: “Bach is my favorite composer. His organ music is like the Bible to every organist. This festival is also our attempt to reach outside the First Scots church community to let Charlestonians know that we have not only a historic sanctuary but a wonderful organ, a German-style harpsichord, and a very fine choir conducted by Ricard Bordas. We hope the festival will demonstrate what Baroque church music was like and how it was different from the church music of our time. And, of course, we want to show very different examples of Bach’s music and the Baroque style.”
When she says “reach out” she means it, too. Although donations will be accepted at the door, all three concerts, plus a lecture on Saturday afternoon by Stefan Engels, are open to the public. The festival will begin Friday night with a performance of Baroque sonatas by Bach and three of his contemporaries, including his son, C.P.E. Bach; followed on Saturday with an afternoon lecture and an evening concert by master organist, Stefan Engels; and on Sunday with a performance of Bach’s orchestral works and cantatas, including his magnificent “Gloria.”
The Baroque Sonatas
Dr. JeeYoon Choi
When I met with JeeYoon, she explained that “the sonata is a favorite genre of Baroque instrumental music written for one or more solo instruments in several contrasting movements. One of its prominent characteristics is a strong bass line—called basso continuo—which is usually played by the combination of a keyboard instrument, such as a harpsichord, and a low-stringed instrument, such as a cello or viola da gamba. In the Friday night concert, you will hear the bass line in the left hand of the harpsichord and in the cello—they will both play the same notes.”
She added that, “All the composers on the program Friday night (Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, and Telemann) called their pieces sonatas, but each of them composed in their own manner for different combinations of instruments.”
I also spoke with Yuriy Bekker, concertmaster of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, who will be performing two of the sonatas. When I asked him about Bach’s music specifically, his voice changed, his devotion became paramount, and he offered the following:
“All the composers who followed Bach studied him, were influenced by him, and incorporated his musical theories in their compositions. His unique style is evident in his harmony and counterpoint, and he set a particular example with his fugues. As a violinist, I consider Bach a Baroque god. When I practice, when I listen, when I perform—it is always a process of constant learning and developing and improving. It makes me feel very lucky in what I do.
violinist Yuriy Bekker
“Bach is especially important to violinists, pianists, and organists, and his music is often required in large competitions to test a musician’s ability to play the Baroque style of music correctly. He frequently used open polyphony with various voice/motif-leading directions which are often heard as chords on an organ. Many of his compositions for violin also have chords which are very challenging for a violinist to play well. In fact, the chords were easier to play in Bach’s day when the bow was more rainbow shaped. With the modern bow it is more difficult and a great test of a violinist’s ability.
“The five sonatas in this concert provide a nice overview of the Baroque period and Baroque chamber music style. They’re just gorgeous pieces.”
The same can certainly be said about the organ music we will hear on Saturday, and the orchestral works and cantatas that will be performed on Sunday. To learn more about those, follow the links below.
Read my interview with world-renowned organist Stefan Engels who will play works by Bach and Sigfrid Karg-Elert.
Read my interview with Choirmaster Ricard Bordas who will conduct the cantatas.
Read the full schedule and program notes. Learn more about all the musicians.
