Concordia Concert Series

Concordia Academy-Wichita presents their 2nd Annual Concert Series on Friday, November 15, 2024 beginning at 7:30pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 600 N Greenwich, Wichita, KS.

We present two of J.S. Bach’s cantatas this year for our Concordia Academy community, in partnership with a sister Wichita Lutheran organization, Fairmount Ministries and Coffee, and Wichita Grand Opera, a jewel in our city’s musical adornment. On this occasion we begin with the sublime and end with the joyfully mundane.

“Ich Habe Genug,” or “I am Satisfied” – BWV 82, is perhaps one of Bach’s most well loved and famous cantatas, written on a text derived by Christoph Birkmann from the Nunc Dimittis – the “Song of Simeon.” Originally premiering in 1727 during the Feast of the Purification of Mary, this text often sung at the conclusion of the Divine Service, expresses the happy resignation of Simeon as he declares that he may depart this life in contentment having seen the culmination of prophecy and the Gospel. This through serves as the basis of mediation in a five movement work for small orchestra and bass voice expressing assurance at the end of life, a consoling and uplifting reflection that Bach himself obviously underwent in light of the death of several of his children.

We follow with a different sort of contentment, that of Bach’s well-loved “Coffee Cantata” – BWV 211. Officially entitled “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht,” or “be quiet, stop your chattering.” This piece premiered between 1732 and 1735, likely at Zimmerman’s coffee house in Leipzig where Bach and his consort of musicians often performed. Coffee, introduced in Prussia around 1620, had become a sensation, leading to some public concern about its addictive qualities and expense. King Frederick II eventually imposed a luxury tax on the beverage, which led to a public uproar. One of Bach’s few ‘secular’ pieces, it is an example of the composer writing in a comedic vein, responding to public life in his day.

Taken together, these two musical treasures illustrate life in the vertical dimension in relation to God, and our horizontal relationship one to another in the life of neighbors. We think they are both most certainly True, Good, and Beautiful!