Salisbury Cathedral Choir and conductor David Halls are joined by the period instrument ensemble Florilegium for a programme of Bach’s music for the Easter season, pairing two celebratory sacred works with one of his most familiar orchestral pieces.
Bach’s Easter Oratorio BWV 249
First performed in Leipzig in 1725, this work was later expanded into its full oratorio form in 1738. Drawn from earlier secular and sacred works and likely set to a libretto by Picander, it tells the Resurrection story through vivid musical dialogues among four Biblical characters. With its festive trumpets, expressive instrumental writing, and dramatic pacing, the Easter Oratorio reveals Bach at his most theatrical and inventive.
The Ascension Oratorio BWV 11
First performed in 1738, the Ascension Oratorio completes Bach’s great cycle of festival oratorios. Combining biblical texts from Luke, Mark, and Acts with poetic and chorale settings, it opens with a brilliant chorus in D major and unfolds across 11 movements rich in symbolism and musical colour. Adapted in part from earlier secular cantatas and scored for a dazzling Baroque ensemble, the work captures the triumph and mystery of Christ’s Ascension with both grandeur and deep emotional resonance.
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major BWV 1068
The Third Suite is among Bach’s most popular instrumental works. Its opening movement is bold and spacious, and the lively dances that follow show his gift for rhythm and character. At its centre is the well known Air, later famously arranged as the Air on the G String. Its long, unbroken melody and steady pulse have made it one of the most widely recognised pieces of Baroque music.
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This event is organised by Salisbury Cathedral to raise funds for the Salisbury Cathedral Choral Foundation: Charity no. 1058899.
Kindly supported by Les and Susan Baker.
Tickets are available through the Cathedral Box Office
01722 656555 | www.salisburycathedral.org.uk
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