One of Carl’s famous quotes after our performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion was: “I don’t know how Bach did this without a spreadsheet!” For a major work such as the Passions or the B-Minor Mass, Carl details all the rehearsal schedules in elaborate spreadsheets: what pieces are rehearsed on which week and for the dress rehearsals, which instruments are played for certain pieces. Just for fun, I scanned his copy of the St. John Passion spreadsheet:

After last week’s Concert Committee meeting, I pulled out the scrapbook I did for the Bach St. John Passion which we performed in 2004. I remembered that Nedra Walker had put together a spreadsheet for the seating in the church, and how every square inch could be used for either seating or for the performers. We are going to configure the church in a similar manner for the Bach Mass in B-Minor in addition to offering discounted, “no view” seats in the Board Room and in the courtyard. Don’t laugh —did you know that one of the best seats in the house for listening to music is in the Board Room with the doors open? And in 1983 when we performed the Bach Magnificat for the first time, we had such a large crowd (over 450 people) that we left the main doors open and people listened from the courtyard!

Why don’t you book your tickets now, before the prime seats are all taken!