The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: Madison Bach Musicians opens its season with two all-Bach performances on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. The program features two cantatas and two concertos.

By Jacob Stockinger

The Madison Bach Musicians, perhaps the premier local early music group in Madison that draws bigger audiences and offers terrific education through pre-concert lectures, will open its 11th season this coming weekend.

On this Saturday evening, Oct. 4, at Christ Presbyterian Church, and Sunday afternoon, Oct. 5, at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church in Monona, the Madison Bach Musicians will perform a program of cantatas and concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Included are two cantatas: Cantata 82, “Ich habe genug” (I Am Content); and Cantata 58, “Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid” (O God, How much Heartache); plus the well-known Harpsichord Concerto in D minor (you can hear the irresistibly energetic first movement played by the Concert des Nations in a YouTube video at the bottom) and the Concerto for Oboe and Violin in C minor.

Featured soloists are bass-baritone Joshua Copeland (below top), who is flying in from England for the performances; and soprano Chelsea Morris (below, bottom) the recent winner of the second annual Handel Aria Competition during the Madison Early Music Festival in July), who has moved from Chicago to Madison; harpsichordist Trevor Stephenson; baroque oboist Luke Conklin; and baroque violinist Kangwon Kim.

The concert will be played entirely on 18th-century period instruments.

Beginning 45 minutes before the concert, MBM founder and director Trevor Stephenson (below) will give a pre-concert lecture about the music and the period instruments. Ticket information can be found at madisonbachmusicians.org or by calling (608) 238-6092.

Here are specifics about the two performances

Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:15 p.m. for the lecture, 8 p.m. for the concert – at Christ Presbyterian Church, 944 E. Gorham St.

Sunday, Oct. 5, 2:45 p.m. for the lecture, 3:30 p.m. for the concert — at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 5700 Pheasant Hill Rd.

Tickets for Madison Bach Musicians concerts may be purchased in advance or at the door. Advance outlets include the Willy Street Coops east and west; Orange Tree Imports on Monroe Street; Farley’s house of Pianos near West Towne Mall; A Room of One’s Own, downtown; and the Ward Brodt Music Mall, off the West Beltline.

NOTE: 
Cash or checks only. Please make checks payable to Madison Bach Musicians.

For this weekend, advance ticket prices: $25 general, $20 students and seniors over 65; tickets at the door are $30 general, $25 for students and seniors.

Season tickets are also available.

The Madison Bach Musicians will also perform other concerts this season -– an always reliable holiday program in December at the First Congregational United Church of Christ and a concert “Pygmalion,” an opera-ballet by Jean-Philippe Rameau in April at the First Unitarian Society of Madison. For the lineup and details, go to:

http://madisonbachmusicians.org/concerts/current-concert-season/