Selected Sundays at 3:15 pm

45 minutes | admission by donation

Featuring soloists from the Parish Choir of St. John's Elora and Baroque Players

In his time, Bach wrote cantatas as a form of “musical sermon” on the scripture readings for specific days during the liturgical year, and these shorter works also served as musical prototypes for his larger, more famous vocal works such as the St. John and St. Matthew Passion. Beginning in 2023, musicians at St. John's will present a few cantatas this season as they correspond to our own liturgical year.
 

Each 45-minute event will feature a combination of musical exploration with music director Patrick Murray, a scripture reading and short homily exploring the readings that the work is based on, and a performance of the piece featuring soloists from the Parish Choir and baroque instrumental ensemble.
 

Sung in German, with English translation available to follow along. Admission by donation.

Bach Meditations 2024

Sunday April 28, 3:15pm
Cantata 12: Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen
Choir of St. John's Elora with baroque ensemble
Bach's post-Easter cantata BWV 12: Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen inspired parts of his monumental B-minor mass. Experience this music in context alongside musical and scriptural reflections with full choir and step-out soloists.

Bach Meditations 2023

Sunday January 22
Cantata 111: Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit
(God's will is best, it shall be done)
Soloists: Rebecca McKay, Christina Stelmacovich, Nicholas Nicolaidis, Alan Macdonald
Guest speaker: Rev. Susan Clarke (Knox-Elora Presbyterian Church)

Sunday April 16
Cantata 4: Christ lag in Todesbanden
(Christ lay in death's bonds)
Soloists: Lesley Bouza, Christina Stelmacovich, Nicholas Nicolaidis, Michael Cressman