Fifth Annual Bach Birthday Concert

This concert, performed by Heinrich Christensen on the 1893 Hutchings/Fisk pipe organ with the Jubilate Chamber Choir directed by Mary Jodice, is the fifth in a series celebrating the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach. He was born on March 21^st, 1685, and is considered the greatest composer of all time. This musical offering for the Cape Ann community is made possible through the generosity of H. Woody Brock.

The Jubilate Chamber Choir

The concert features selections from Clavier-Übung III, sometimes referred to as the German Organ Mass, a collection of compositions for organ published in 1739, based upon Lutheran chorales (harmonized hymn tunes), which will be sung a cappella by the Choir. The collection of pieces is considered Bach's most significant and extensive work for the organ, containing some of his most musically complex and technically demanding compositions for the instrument. It opens with the majestic Prelude in E-flat and concludes with a monumental triple Fugue known as the “St. Anne,” depicting the Trinity in a glorious combination on the “organo pleno,” pulling out all the stops! Organist Heinrich Christensen is the Music Director of King’s Chapel, Boston.

ORGANIST

A native of Denmark, Heinrich Christensen came to the US in 1998 and received an Artist Diploma in Organ Performance from the Boston Conservatory, in addition to degrees from conservatories in Denmark and France. He was appointed Music Director of historic King's Chapel in the year 2000, after serving as affiliate organist under the direction of Daniel Pinkham during the final two years of Dr. Pinkham’s 42-year tenure at the church.

Heinrich was a prizewinner at the international organ competitions in Odense and Erfurt and has given solo recitals on four continents. He has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ballet, Handel & Haydn Society, and numerous choruses in the greater Boston area. An avid proponent of contemporary music, he has premiered works by Daniel Pinkham, Carson Cooman, Graham Gordon Ramsay, James Woodman, and several others. He has recorded several organ and choral CDs, including Bach’sClavier-Übung III, and Daniel Pinkham’s works for solo voice and organ with Florestan Recital Project.

CHORAL ENSEMBLE

The Jubilate Chamber Choir was started in 2019 under the direction of Mary Jodice. It is comprised of up to twenty singers of diversity in age, denomination and experience. They perform in the great music traditions of sacred church music, especially the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and derive great joy from singing with each other. The Jubilate Chamber Choir will travel to England for their first Choir Residence at Chichester Cathedral in August of 2025.

Soprano: Mary Alexandra Onstad, Caitlin Laird
Alto: Cristina Evans, Cameron Dobson
Tenor: Grant Yosnick, Leo Ballkovetz
Bass: Jeffrey Smith, Mark Anderson
Founder and Director of the Jubilate Chamber Choir: Mary Jodice 

PROGRAM

• BWV 552/i Praeludium in E-flat pro organo pleno
• BWV 672 Kyrie, Gott Vater 3 / 4 manualiter
• BWV 676 Allein Gott in der Höh’ sei Ehr’ trio, pedaliter
• BWV 679 Dies sind die heil’gen zehn Gebot’ fugue, manualiter
• BWV 680 Wir glauben all’ an einen Gott à 4, in organo pleno
• BWV 682 Vater unser im Himmelreich trio and cantus firmus in canon
• BWV 685 Christ, unser Herr, zum Jordan kam fuga inversa, manualiter
• BWV 686 Aus tiefer Noth schrei ich zu dir à 6, in organo pleno
• BWV 688 Jesus Christus, unser Heiland trio, cantus firmus in pedal
• BWV 552/ii Fuga in E-flat a 5 voci pro organo pleno

CONCERT INFORMATION

The concert will be held on Friday, March 21^st at 7:30pm in the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets (GPS 50 Middle Street). Parking is available on the green. The admission for the event is $35 General, $5 Students (all ages), under 12 free. An elevator is available from the side door at 10 Church Street.