The final concert of the current Voices of Music season has been entitled Bach, Biber, and Buxtehude. The season brochure described the program as “an exultation of Bach, an ostentation of Biber and a blush of Buxtehude.” To realize these colorful descriptions, the Voices of Music ensemble, directed by Hanneke van Proosdij and David Tayler, will be joined by guest soloists soprano Laura Heimes and baroque trumpeter John Thiessen.
Mention Johann Sebastian Bach, soprano, and trumpet to anyone familiar with the composer; and the reflex reaction will almost always be “Jauchzet Gott!” (praise God), not only as an expostulation but also as the title of the BWV 51 cantata that features virtuoso solos for both soprano and trumpet. This cantata will conclude the second half of the program, preceded by two other Bach selections, the second (Air) movement from the BWV 1058 orchestral suite in D major and the BWV 1041 violin concerto in A minor. Carla Moore will be the concerto soloist.
Each of the two guest soloists will represent Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber and Dietrich Buxtehude separately in the first half of the program. Thiessen will perform Biber’s C major trumpet sonata, and Heimes will sing in Buxtehude’s BuxWV 38 solo cantata “Herr, wenn ich nur dich hab” (Lord, when I have only thee). Heimes will also sing “Mein Freund ist mein” (my Love is mine) the ciaconna movement for alto, solo violin (Elizabeth Blumenstock), and viols from Johann Christoph Bach’s cantata Meine Freundin du bist schön (thou are fair, my beloved), based on the text of the Song of Songs. The Voices of Music ensemble will also perform Johann Heinrich Schmelzer’s fourth sonata in six parts.
String players Blumenstock and Moore will be joined by Lisa Grodin, Kati Kyme, Maxine Nemerovski, William Skeen, and Farley Pearce, also on strings, as well as Tayler on archlute, and Proosdij on baroque organ.
The San Francisco performance of this program will begin at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church (1111 O’Farrell Street, near the corner of Franklin). Single tickets are $35 with a $5 discount for seniors, students, and members of SFEMS, EMA, and ARS. Tickets may be purchased online through a secure event page managed by Ticket Turtle.
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