Cantatas for the New Year & Epiphany

The Chattanooga Bach Choir & Orchestra David Long artistic director and conductor continues its 40th Season with a Cantata concert on Sunday January 5 at 5 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church 663 Douglas Street in Chattanooga. Tickets are $20 (Students with ID are free) and can be purchased at the door or in advance at: www.chattanoogabachchoir.org/.

For this concert the Bach Choir presents two Cantatas for the season: “Ach Gott wie manches Herzeleid” (“Ah God how much heartbreak”) BWV 58 for the first Sunday after New Year’s Day; and “Liebster Immanuel Herzog der Frommen” (“Dearest Emmanuel leader of the righteous”) BWV 123 for the Feast of Epiphany. The program opens with Bach’s chorale prelude for organ “Wir Christenleut” (“We Christian people now have Joy”) BWV 612. Featured soloists for this performance are: Janelle Wagoner soprano; Doug Dodson countertenor; Erik Gustafson tenor; Matthew Hoch bass; Karla Fowkes organ; with Sheri Peck violin and concertmaster.

David Long comments “In 2025 the Bach Choir is celebrating the 300th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach’s second year in his position as Thomaskantor director of church music in the city of Leipzig. For this New Year’s concert we are performing two chorale cantatas composed for the season. “Ach Gott wie manches Herzeleid” (“Ah God how much heartbreak”) BWV 58 written for the Sunday after New Year’s Day features soprano and bass soloists in a musical dialogue between the faithful soul and compassionate Savior expressed in extraordinarily rich detail and emotional range. “Liebster Immanuel Herzog der Frommen” (“Dearest Emmanuel leader of the righteous”) BWV 123 written for the Feast of Epiphany and first performed on January 6 1725 makes use of the chorale melody throughout with Bach’s setting vividly expressing the text’s powerful imagery.”

“We are pleased to present these concerts featuring one of Bach’s over 200 cantatas for chorus soloists and instruments and performed on or close to the specific liturgical day for which it was written. We hope these performances of Bach’s inspiring music will provide Chattanooga music lovers with an hour of beauty and respite on a Sunday afternoon.”

Host or Publisher Chattanooga Bach Choir