Great Barrington — Dress in your finest finery—or not: sneakers, tuxedo, or both. It is that time of year again when conductor James Bagwell and the Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) present their annual “Messiah” Sing-Along at First Congregational Church on November 30, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
There is really nothing like the feeling of performing great Baroque choral music while looking a world-class conductor in the eye. It is inspiring, and it strokes your ego. But you will also enjoy the prestige of singing with the Berkshire Bach Players as your back-up band, and it so happens that the band is sounding better than ever these days under the invigorating influence of BBS Artistic Director Eugene Drucker.
You are encouraged to bring you own score, but the Society may have one you can borrow. Here is a list of the choruses they included last year:
Part I
No. 1 Overture
No. 4 And the Glory of the Lord
No. 7 And he shall purify
No. 9 O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (Aria and Chorus)
No. 12 For unto us a child is born
No. 16 And suddenly there was with the Angel (Recitative)
No. 17 Glory to God
No. 21 His yoke is easy
Part II
No. 22 Behold the Lamb of God
No. 24 Surely he hath borne
No. 25 And with his stripes
No. 26 All we like sheep
No. 28 He trusted in God
No. 33 Lift up your heads
No. 44 Hallelujah
Part III
No. 46 Since by man came death
No. 53 Worthy is the lamb / Amen
Over two dozen musicians make up the Berkshire Bach Players. All are associated with major orchestras and teaching institutions, and some are international celebrities. The musicians infrequently assemble as one group, and you never know which musicians you are likely to hear in any given performance. But they never disappoint.
Bard College Professor of Music and Bard College Conservatory of Music Director of Performance Studies James Bagwell is associate conductor and academic director of The Orchestra Now at Bard College. Since 2003, he has been director of choruses for the Bard Music Festival, conducting and preparing choral works during the summer festival at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College. He has trained choruses for American and international orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cincinnati Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and many more. He has worked with such noted conductors as Andris Nelsons, Alan Gilbert, Zubin Mehta, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Michael Tilson Thomas, Robert Shaw, and many others.
Sing your heart out at Berkshire Bach Society’s annual “Messiah” Sing-Along at the First Congregational Church in Great Barrington on Saturday, November 30, 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Needless to say, Hallelujah!
