It is often recounted that Bach walked the 250 mile distance from Arnstadt to Lübeck and back to study with Buxtehude - staying for nearly three months when his employers had only granted him leave for only 4 weeks - but Buxtehude is a composer who is unfortunate to remain in the shadow of his most famous student.
A cycle of seven cantatas setting a medieval poem, Membra Jesu Nostri is a meditation on parts of Christ’s body at the crucifixion. The gold and marble splendour of The Oratory in Birmingham is the perfectly suited venue for this intimate performance – involving just 10 singers and 10 players conducted by Jeffrey Skidmore.
Membra Jesu Nostri is complemented by a shorter first half which explores other great vocal and viol repertoire by composers from the German line:
Johann Schein (1586–1630) - Pavan
Dietrich Buxtehude (c.1637–1707) - Laudate pueri Dominum
Samuel Scheidt (1587–1653) - Canzon a 5 voc. Super O Nachbar Roland
Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) - Die Schalksknecht
Samuel Scheidt - Canzon a 5 voc. Super Cantionem Gallicam
Johann Christoph Bach (1642-1703) - Ach, daß ich Wassers g’nug hätte
Dietrich Buxtehude - Membra Jesu Nostri
The concert commences at 7.30pm on Saturday 10 November 2007 at The Oratory, Hagley Road, Birmingham. Tickets are available from The REP Box Office on 0121 236 4455, priced from £7 to £25 (concessions available).
To download a pdf copy of the flyer for this concert from Ex Cathedra’s website, click here
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From its home in Birmingham, Ex Cathedra has established an international reputation as a leading UK Early Music ensemble. Under founder and Artistic Director, Jeffrey Skidmore, Ex Cathedra is known for its vibrant performances and a passion for seeking out not only the best but the unfamiliar and the unexpected in the choral repertoire.
Ex Cathedra is delighted to welcome back Fretwork – one of the world’s great viol consorts – for this concert.
Ever since its London debut in 1986, Fretwork has been setting new standards for the performance of 16th and 17th century English masterpieces for viol consort. The group has given concerts and broadcasts all round the world, made numerous highly successful recordings and is actively engaged in generating a new repertory for their instruments.