The Orgelbüchlein Project, conceived by William Whitehead, will 'complete' Bach's unfinished collection of Chorale Preludes. The 118 blank pages in Bach's manuscript, on which he carefully inscribed a Chorale title but left no music, are being filled in one by one with new compositions, each one based on the given Chorale. The finished 'Gesamtorgelbüchlein' will be a snap-shot of international compositional styles at the start of the 21st Century, a kaleidoscopic collection of miniatures in homage to Bach. John Caldwell's new prelude receives its first performance and Whitehead completes his contribution with two of Bach's finest Preludes and Fugues. The College Choir completes the programme with the funeral motet Jesu, meine Freude.
Passiontide at Merton
The College holds the third Passiontide at Merton Festival on Saturday 31 March and Sunday 1 April. The six events include concerts, services and a lecture and artists include the Choir of Merton College and Charivari Agréable. A special feature is the music of J S Bach: the opening concert is an organ concert which also includes a performance of the motet Jesu, meine Freude, and the festival concludes with a performance of the St John Passion.
Composer Gabriel Jackson sees his 50th birthday celebrated with the premiere of a short organ work (with organist William Whitehead) and a performance of his Mass at the Palm Sunday Eucharist. The Oxford-based chamber choir, Sospiri, give the late-night concert on Saturday 31 March, and Robin Griffith-Jones, Master of The Temple, gives the Festival Lecture. For more information, please see http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/chapel_and_choir/section_specific/Passiontide2012.pdf.
Why not be resident at Merton for the festival?
Festival Tickets are available at £200 per person. This includes ensuite accommodation at Merton College for the Saturday night, a ticket to each event, and all meals during the Festival. Further details are available on the College website.
For a Festival Ticket, please contact Rachel Fright (01865 616724)