MUSIC . Music Picks

Philomel

Fri., Nov. 16, 8 p.m, Christ Church, Second and Market streets; Sun., Nov. 18, 7 p.m., Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 8000 Martins Lane, $30-$40, 215-487-2344, philomel.org.


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Published: Nov 13, 2007

classical

A sizable portion of J.S. Bach's career did not involve religious music. This was the period in which he was a court composer, writing the great masterpieces for orchestra, like the Brandenberg Concertos, as well as unmatched music for solo keyboard, violin and cello. But most of Bach's work was for the church, and reams of it are lost forever. At one point, he was producing a cantata at an almost weekly pace, with at least 300, perhaps as many as 400 composed. More than half are missing, but the remaining 200 or so are of stunningly consistent quality.

A standout cantata is "Ich habe genug" ("I have had enough"), which has become a signature piece for Julianne Baird, the world-renowned Baroque soprano and Philly-area resident. It is safe to say that you are not likely to hear a more tonally resplendent and dramatically compelling rendition of this gorgeous music elsewhere. It is no small factor that her collaborators are the seasoned performers of Philomel, a period-music ensemble that has, in the course of a more than a quarter-century of performance, established a standard for Baroque music-making.

Fri., Nov. 16, 8 p.m, Christ Church, Second and Market streets; Sun., Nov. 18, 7 p.m., Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 8000 Martins Lane, $30-$40, 215-487-2344, philomel.org.