Our next Bach Vespers is on 25 May at 6.30pm. It takes place at St Mary at Hill in the City of London, hosted by St Anne’s Lutheran Church. City Bach Collective presents Bach’s moving but rarely performed cantata BWV 87, Bisher habt ihr nichts gebeten in meinem Namen. First performed in 1725, this cantata is set to a text by a female librettist, Christiana Mariana von Ziegler, exploring how faith turns anguish to joy ‘über Honig süße’ (‘sweeter than honey’). The opening is dark, focusing on human guilt and fear, but the mood is transformed in the tenor aria, a soothing pastoral siciliano, reminiscent of the opening of Part 2 of the Christmas Oratorio. A central highlight of the cantata is the alto aria accompanied by two oboe da caccias (instrument pictured). With its highly chromatic harmonies and special caccia sound, this extraordinary movement has been likened to the dramatic ‘Ach Golgotha’ from Bach’s St Matthew Passion. The service will also include other music from the German Baroque performed by our specialist team of voices and period instruments.

Everyone is welcome, so do come along and bring a friend. You don’t need to be religious, you can just come to enjoy the music. Entrance is free (with a voluntary collection). We look forward to seeing you and sharing Bach’s wonderful music.

Following Bach Vespers: 29 June (BWV 7)