We like to think of the Bach, the Universe & Everything series as a community, similar to the one Bach enjoyed in Leipzig where he produced innovative music at an extraordinary rate for the weekly services at the church where he worked from 1723 until his death in 1750. Back then, the congregation was as open to science and new ideas as it was brought together by faith. It is in that spirit that we present these thought-provoking cantatas paired with a talk from some of the greatest minds of our time.
With thanks to our corporate sponsors Swan Turton, Duetz Champagne and Gramophone Magazine
THE MUSIC
The text of BWV 39 is based on Isaiah 58: 7-8, about offering food to your hungry neighbours and offering shelter to those without a home. Listen out for the chorus which starts with a step-motif that suggests the poor are staggering along in exhaustion, but then evolves to an intensel...
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THE MUSIC
This cantata is all about healing and enlightenment, reflecting on humanity’s salvation by God’s grace alone. The dramatic weight of this music is emphasised by the voice of Christ in three sermon-like solos, performed by Rising Star bass Dominic Sedgwick.
THE SCIENCE
‘Voice Doctor’...
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THE MUSIC
BWV 138 is often described as one of Bach’s more experimental and modern cantatas. The text draws upon the conflicting feelings of anxiety for the unknown, the need to place faithful trust in God and the alternate reality of heaven. The resolution of this is heard at the close of the ...
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THE MUSIC
The antidote for the burdened and sorrowful soul in BWV 113 is God’s ‘healing Word’ which causes the heart to laugh again! This laughter can be heard in the Chorale and Recitative, with a burst of playful semiquavers in the continuo cello.
THE SCIENCE
Continuing on the theme of gigg...
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