Sunday Service w/cantata
Christopher Bucknall + Istante Ensemble + Margaret Faultless
From here to eternity with J. S. Bach
From the minister, Ewan King;
Of all composers, Bach is at the same time the most heavenly and the earthiest. Celebrate that duality at Heath Street Baptist Church on Sunday 30th April. Join the congregation at eleven in the morning to hear - and also to join in with - Bach’s good shepherd cantata, performed in the setting for which it was originally intended: a service of public worship on the morning of the second Sunday after Easter. The good shepherd cantata is a joyful commemoration of the moment the forgiven Peter gets the important job of feeding Jesus’ sheep.
On the subject of feeding, stay on to Sunday evening and you can enjoy Bach in a more down-to-earth setting, as our 6pm Bach, Beer and Bratwurst concert kicks of with mouth-watering cooking from in-house chef Francesca Ter-Berg. The musical fun kicks off with Brandenburg 1, part of what is perhaps Bach’s best-loved series of concertos (and ironically a series written as part of an application for a job Bach failed to get). Virtuosic cantatas from Telemann follow, before a closing concert performance of the morning’s cantata reminds us that if Bach’s heavenly-mindedness never got in the way of enjoying the good things in life, the reverse was also true!
This is a service of worship which will include Cantata BWV 112 "Der Herr Mein Getreuer Hirt"
Instante Ensemble directed by Maggie Faultless with guest harpsichordist Christopher Bucknall
Line Up
Christopher Bucknall
Istante Ensemble
Istante is a European chamber ensemble formed by a new generation of period-instrument professionals drawn together by a common spirit of inquisitiveness and historical awareness. Its individual members perform internationally with prestigious period-instrument ensembles such as the English Baroque Soloists, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, Europa Galante, Concerto Italiano, La Chambre Philharmonique.
Owing to its diverse cultural background, as well as its sensitivity to the specific musical idioms of each age,Istante is able to accompany audiences on a sweeping musical journey, with repertoire ranging from the late Renaissance to the present day. Its flexible formation allows for interesting and diverse programme combinations, balancing well-known classics with more original and often neglected works.
Margaret Faultless
Margaret Faultless performs music from Monteverdi to the present day, but is best-known as a performer of eighteenth-century repertoire and historical performance practice. With a reputation as a distinguished leader and director of both period instrument and modern orchestras, Margaret is also instrumental in fostering the talents of the next generation of musicians in her capacities as Head of Historical Performance at the Royal Academy of Music, Director of Performance at the University of Cambridge and Director of Studies for the European Union Baroque Orchestra.
For over twenty years she has been a co-leader of The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, directing the orchestra on a regular basis, including their CD of Mozart horn concerti with soloist Roger Montgomery. She also plays a significant role in their education programme for young professionals.
For twelve years, Margaret led the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, notably as concert-master and soloist in their ten-year project to perform and record J.S Bach’s Cantatas. As Artistic director of Music for Awhile she shapes the artistic programme of the ensemble including its annual Summer Festival. A passionate chamber musician, she was a member of the London Haydn Quartet for ten years, and played in a duo focusing on the sonatas of Beethoven and Brahms, investigating nineteenth-century performance traditions.
Margaret also lectures on performance practice, her special interests being leadership and social interactions in ensembles before the age of silent conducting. She is an Honorary Fellow of Birmingham Conservatoire and an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music.