Bach and Brantley Continue Summer Festival at St. Bartholomew's, 7/11

In recognition of the 325th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's birth, the Summer Festival of Sacred Music at St. Bartholomew's continues on Sunday, July 11 at 11 am with Bach's Missa Brevis in A Major, BWV 234, paired with Paul Brantley's Dance of the Cross.

In addition to his monumental Mass in B-Minor, Bach composed four Latin Masses during his tenure as Kantor of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. Labeled "parody masses", since they were arrangements of previously written cantata movements, they are by no means second hand products, but are elevated into timeless works by their Latin texts. The Missa in A-Major is perhaps the most delicate of all his Masses. It is scored for choir, soloists and an orchestra of strings and flutes, played today on period instruments. The orchestration gives the work a quiet and pastoral quality. The "qui tollis" movement, set for soprano solo, two flutes and continuo, is breathtaking in its fragility and ethereal writing.

Brantley's vivid Round Dance of the Cross is a setting of Jesus' words to his disciples, who dance the Hora, prior to his crucifixion. The text is taken from the Gnostic Gospels. It is scored for mezzo soprano solo, baroque violin and cello.

St. Bartholomew's Choir will be accompanied by an orchestra of period instruments. Teresa Buchholz, mezzo soprano, will be the soloist for the Brantley work. William K. Trafka will conduct.

The Summer Festival of Sacred Music takes place each Sunday morning at 11 am at St. Bartholomew's Church during the summer months. At a time when most churches reduce their musical offerings, St. Bartholomew's Church provides outstanding sacred music sung by St. Bartholomew's Choir and Boy and Girl Choristers, two of New York City's most renowned choirs. Works include an array of mass settings from the 15th century to the present, embracing a diversity of cultures from around the world. The music is sung as part of the 11 am service, the liturgical context for which it was composed. All Summer Festival events are free and open to the public.

The Summer Festival of Sacred Music takes place at St. Bartholomew's Church at the corner of Park Avenue and 51st Street. Subway: 6 to 51st Street. For more information, call (212) 378-0222 or visit www.stbarts.org/sacredmusic.asp for the complete schedule.