Bach Christmas Oratorio to be performed in Uxbridge

by Stuart Beaudoin

UXBRIDGE: On Sunday, November 30th, at 7 p.m., St Paul’s Anglican Church in Uxbridge, Music at St Paul’s, will host a performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. The performance will be in English. The Cantorei sine Nomine choir and Orpheus Symphonietta orchestra under the direction of Stuart Beaudoin along with soloists, Leslie Higgins, Shannon Coates, Benjamin Done and Sebastien Belcourt will sing this marvelous setting of the Christmas story.

Director Stu gave us some insight into the project: In Christendom, Handel’s Messiah (1741) and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (1734) stand as the musical pillars of the Christmas season. Messiah, of course, is actually Easter music. The Christmas Oratorio is a series of six cantatas telling the story of the coming of Jesus, the 12 days of Christmas.

Bach’s Oratorio is not often performed in the English speaking world and always performed in German. This performance is using a fine English translation to make the music and story accessible to the listener. This is the fourth time Cantorei sine Nomine has performed the Oratorio for Uxbridge and we hope it is starting to become familiar. In Europe, it would be the music of choice during the Christmas season. The new English translation allows us to bring this fabulous music into our Christmas.

Mr. Beaudoin said, “Bach is often thought of as heavy, detailed and difficult to listen to; but in this music he is dancing for the whole program. Choruses are always upbeat and exciting; orchestra colours tell the story in sound; the soloists give us the scripture in the recitatives and commentary in the fabulous solos. It is a Christmas musical experience not to be missed. Your ears will be full of earworms.”

Tickets are $40 and are available through starticketing. The church has limited capacity so don’t wait to get your tickets and ask a friend to join you.