Here at the University of Idaho, we’re still on a high from our recent and extremely successful Bach Festival. Among the many highlights was the chance to work with Jeffrey Thomas, Artistic and Musical Director of the American Bach Soloists on Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen BWV 43. During one of the rehearsals, Maestro Thomas made the interesting point that while this work–and much of Bach’s sacred music–is full of yearning (“Ich stehe hier am Weg” and so on), there is never any suggestion that we might not get what we desire, i.e. fulfilment, a prayer answered, religious salvation.
This idea provoked me to consider composers who don’t necessarily promise that we’ll get what we want.
Continue reading “Expectation and fulfilment”
Miranda Wilson 