Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-01
M U S &c
DIR. WOLFE AND BACH'S CANTATAS.

DIR. WOLFE AND BACH'S CANTATAS.
Washington musicians and other
lovers Of the works of Johann Sebastian
Bach thoroughly enjoyed the lecture re-
cital given with delightful informality
and enlightening authority by DR.. Fred
Wolfe at Barker Hall yesterday morn
ing. DR.. Wolfe Is the organizer and
leader Of the famous Bach Choir Of
Bethlehem, Pa. Yesterday he was CIV
ing his annual talk before the members
of the Friday Morning Music Club and
their friends. The subject this time
was the nine cantatas OF Bach, which
are to be featured in the Bach festival
in Bethlehem May 10 and II this year.
Although the masterpiece of all Bach's
works, the great Mass in B Minor" is
to be sung as usual on Saturday, May
II, the two sessions of the festival the
preceding Friday will be devoted to
these nine cantataS.
DR.. Wolfe touched first upon the per-
sonnet Of his choir and announced that,
although there are not many over so
In the choir, I think We shall propose
rs as the age limit" The Bach Choir
is a national institution. It is an in
tegral part of the life Of the people of
Bethlehem. Generations have grown
up and are continuing to grow up into
the ranks of the choir. 1t is a family
affair in many instances. It Is not,
however, as DR.. Wolfe pointed out yes
terday, strictly Moravian choir, for
there are many nationalities and many
religions included in its roster of mem
bers. Most Of the members are of the
Lutheran faith, but there are repre-
sentatives of practically all the Chris
tan religions.
A jocund undercurrent to DR.. Wolle's
NIB To oh -
often, was the recurring phrase, not of
apology. but of almost pride in the fact
that all this music was simple, old
fashioned music, nice melodious music,
with plenty Of concordS in these days
Of new styles in music" His audience
obviously agreed with him and got not
a few good chuckleS of amusement out
OF these recurring phrases.
DR.. Wolfe briefly played some of the
solos and the dominant chorales of
each of the nine cantatas. The first,
dedicated to st. Michael's day, opens
with There Arose a Great Strife" and
includes the beautiful melody "Bide Ye
Angels, Bide With Me-" The ending
chorale for soprano is "Freude Dich
Sehr Meme Seele," which same melody
occurs In the lower key of r for the
alto chorus as the opening of the sec
ond cantata to be given. 20 World I
Now Must Leave Thee" is the finale.
The third cantata is based entirely
on the Passion Chorale. The fourth,
in similar vein, has Come, Sweet Hour
Of Death" for its theme. Again, In the
fourth, the passion music returns In
the form of an alto solo. The rejoice
motif of the fifth cantata Is praise
the Lord Omnipotent," in which the
alto solo, to be sung by all the altos,
has violin accompaniment. This ends
the Friday afternoon session.
The evening session begins with the
sixth cantata, Then Our Mouths, Filled
With Laughter" In this DR.. Wolfe
paused to show how perfectly Bach in
terpreted the lighter as we'll as the
tragic moods in his music. Also, how
skillfully be utilized the ancient cho-
raleS to give solid basis for his music.
The seventh cantata has a theme,
Brightly Shines the Morning STAR;
the eighth, "Ah, How Fleeing; All,
How Cheating" with an ending of ex-
quisite benediction mood, and the ninth
cantata,s the last of this series, 10,
Praise Thou the Lord, Oh My Spirit"
The listener could not but admire
afresh not only DR.. Wolle's sincere
love and knowledge of the music of
Bach, but also his own skill in arrang-
ing these cantatas for the Friday pro-
grams. Each year more Washington
music lovers make the pilgrimage to
Bethlehem in May to hear Bach in
terpreted in the fitting atmosphere of
this little town. H. F.