Last night was the first Thursday night choir rehearsal since New Year’s — the choir traditionally takes the month of January off from midweek rehearsals. So for the first time last night, the choir read through the music for the upcoming Bach Vespers, scheduled for Sunday, February 20th at 7:30 pm. That’s only ten days away!

Here’s a list of all the music that will be performed in that service: (As you will see, it’s a lot more than just Bach.)

Organ: Prelude in B minor, BWV 544a (J. S. Bach)
Chorale Prelude: Alle menschen mussen sterben (Johann Pachelbel)
Hymn: Songs of thankfulness and praise (Salzburg)
Psalm 100 [Becker Psalter] (Heinrich Schütz)
Psalm 135 [Ionian Psalter] (Peter R. Hallock)
Office Hymn: A multitude comes from east and west (Der Mange skal komme)
Magnificat (Dietrich Buxtehude)
Cantata “Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit”, BWV 111 (J. S. Bach)
Offertory motet: Thron der Liebe, Stern der Güte (Peter Cornelius)
Organ: Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern, BWV 37 (J. S. Bach)
Hymn: O morning star, how fair and bright (Wie schön leuchtet)
Organ Postlude: Fugue in B minor, BWV 544b (J. S. Bach)

It may seem amazing that the LCH Choir can put all this music together in only ten days, but actually, we’ve done these kinds of musical programs in a lot less time than that. For example, whenever there is a funeral at LCH for someone who was deeply involved and/or interested in the music program, we’ve had to contract all the musicians and rehearse the music in just a few days. Some of the funerals we’ve done have included the Fauré Requiem, Ralph Vaughan Williams Mass in G minor, and a number of Bach cantata performances— all put together in the space of three days.

Thanks to Vreni Griffith who stuck on all the address labels, the postcard was delivered to people’s mailboxes on Wednesday. I also sent a round of press releases to the media, so hopefully people will know about this marvelous program we’ve planned.