Bach Birthday Organ Concert Sun, March 12 @ St. Alfred's Palm Harbor

St. Alfred Bach Celebration March 12, 2017

St. Alfred’s Episcopal Church Palm Harbor Organist and Choirmaster Kevin Johnson will play a concert of Bach’s Organ works on Sun, March 12, 2017 at 4 pm, in the church sanctuary at 1601 Curlew Road, in celebration of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Birthday, March 21, 1685.
Johnson will play two of Bach’s larger works for organ, Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542, Toccata, and Adagio and Fugue in C Major, BWV 564, as well as seven Chorale Preludes from the Passiontide section of the Orgelbüchlein, or “Little Organ Book,” Bach’s title for this collection he wrote to illustrate the lyrics and music of Lutherian Hymns. Johnson will perform each organ chorale first then alternate with the same chorale sung in English by a vocal ensemble of St. Alfred’s Parish Choir. The concert is free and all are welcome; however, an offering will be taken.
J.S. Bach was a Lutheran Church Musician. It has been 500 years since church reformer Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg Germany, an event that changed the world. Luther realized the importance of music in worship and encouraged the singing of chorales, or hymns, in the vernacular (native language of the people) instead of Latin, influencing the development of singing in Protestant churches. He wrote hymns that are still sung today in services, including “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come” and “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
The seven Chorale Preludes for Passiontide from the Orgelbüchlein that will be played and sung include: O Lamm Gottes, Unschuldig (O Lamb of God, Pure, Spotless); Christe, Du Lamm Gottes (Lamb of God, Our Savior); Christus, Der Uns Selig Macht (See the Lord of Life and Light); Da Jesus an Dem Kreuze Stund (When on the Cross the Savior Hung); O Mensch, Bewein’ Dein’ Sünde Gross (O Man, Bewail Thy Grevious Fall); Wir Danken Dir, Herr Jesu Christ (To Thee, Lord Jesu, Thanks We Give) and Hilf Gott, Dass Mir’s Gelinge (O Help Me, Lord, to Praise Thee).
Kevin Johnson, a longstanding member of the American Guild of Organists (AAGO) and an active member of the Clearwater Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, has been Organist and Choirmaster of St. Alfred’s Episcopal Church Palm Harbor for the past 17 years. St. Alfred's Episcopal Church is a member of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, the Rt. Rev. Dabney T. Smith, Bishop; the Rev. Dr. Gina Walsh-Minor, Rector, and is one of 14 churches in its Clearwater Deanery. A graduate of SUNY Fredonia, New York and Northwestern University in Chicago, Johnson is one of the most accomplished and respected Episcopal Church Musicians in the Diocese of Southwest Florida.
1601 Curlew Road
Palm Harbor, Florida 34683-6515
Email: events@stalfreds.net
http:/www.stalfred.org/contact.html