The earth spins, the seasons change, and autumn is here. In Santa Cruz, we feel it in cooler days, cloudy skies, and a sprinkling of rain. The singers of the Santa Cruz Chorale mark the change of season with stacks of new music and a return to rehearsals. With intensity, focus, and joy we begin to prepare our annual Christmas with the Chorale.
Christmas is a time of joy and tradition. Our audiences tell us they love our mix of early music and carols old and new. This year, our concert opens with overflowing joy, as we sing Sweelink’s “Christus natus est” — beloved in Europe as an opening for Christmas programs.
The exuberance continues with the first performance in Santa Cruz of “Run Ye Shepherds to the Light” —a work for soprano solo, choir and orchestra by Michael Haydn, Joseph Haydn’s younger brother. Among modern composers, we bring you Morten Lauridson’s stunning “O Magnum Mysterium” and Arvo Pärt’s world famous “Magnificat,” composed for Christian Grube and his Berlin boys’ choir. We also sing three pieces by Kirke Mechem, as a special tribute in honor of his 100th birthday this year. We conclude with carols from around the world, singing joyously, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas!”
Our spring season will feature the cantatas of the immortal Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach likely wrote about 295 cantatas, of which 200 survive. Each demonstrated his mastery of musical contrasts and his ability to use musical form to express powerful emotion. In Bach’s cantatas, emotions shade from dramatic to poignant and intimate.
For Why the World Loves Bach, Artistic Director Christian Grube has chosen three Bach cantatas that beautifully show Bach’s musical genius and the depths of feeling that animate his work. BVW 78, “Jesu, der du meine Seele” (Jesus, thou who art my soul), BVW 93, “Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten” (Whoever lets the dear God reign), and BVW 106, “Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit” (God’s time is the very best time) represent Bach at the height of his musical and emotional powers.
The Santa Cruz Chorale is honored to bring you the cantatas of the immortal Johann Sebastian Bach, whose music speaks to us across the ages.
The 43rd season of the Santa Cruz Chorale has begun. It’s time to get your tickets!