A Bach Celebration January 23, 2011

Join California Bach Society on Sunday, January 23 for an all-Bach program of splendid arias, duets, and choruses. The all-Bach concert is in celebration of the society's 40th Anniversary, and includes refreshments.

The afternoon begins with a complete performance of Cantata 196, Der Herr denket an uns. Then, popular Bay Area soloists soprano Jennifer Paulino, tenor Brian Thorsett, and baritone Jeffrey Fields join CBS artistic director and countertenor Paul Flight to delight you with favorite Bach arias and duets. After intermission, our guest artists perform even more arias by request-the pieces that you, the audience, vote to hear!

Soprano Jennifer Paulino joins the choir in Cantata 196 with the aria Er segnet, die den Herrn frchten, then duets with Paul Flight in Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt from Cantata 4. She collaborates with him again in her final selection, Die Seele ruht in Jesu Handen from Cantata 127-this time Paul pairs with guest Frances Feldon in the obbligato for two recorders. Tenor Brian Thorsett joins Paul in the duet In meinem Gott bin ich erfreut from Cantata 162, and baritone Jeffrey Fields caps off the first half with Ich will nun hassen und alles lassen from Cantata 30.

As in the past four years, it is up to you, our audience, to determine which arias our soloists perform after intermission! This year the delightfully difficult choices are:

Soprano: Blute nur, du liebes Herz (Saint Matthew Passion, BWV 244) or Schlummert ein ihr matten Augen (Cantata 82)
Tenor: Komm, ssser Tod (Schemelli's Gesangbuch, BWV 478) or Deposuit potentes de sede (Magnificat, BWV 243)
Bass: Madchen, die von harten Sinnen (Coffee Cantata, BWV 211) or Wenn Trost und Hlf ermangeln muss (Cantata 117)

Throughout the afternoon our orchestra provides stellar support: Frances Feldon on flute, Rachel Hurwitz and Ondine Young on violin, Farley Pearce on cello, and CBS accompanist Gwen Adams on organ.

Official Website: http://www.calbach.org/benefit.html#benefit