2022 Concerts
Bach St John Passion
Saturday 19 March 2022
7.30pm
(ends 9.45pm approximately)
St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds
Robert Murray Evangelist / tenor
Graeme Danby Jesus
Camilla Jeppeson soprano
Valerie Reid mezzo-soprano
Ben Noble Pilate / bass
Suffolk Baroque Players
Bury Bach Choir
Jérôme Kuhn conductor
Bach’s St John Passion was composed in 1724 and first performed as part of the Good Friday liturgy in Leipzig’s Nikolaikirche. This evening’s performance is given in celebration of the Bury Bach Choir’s 90th anniversary.
In his St John Passion, Bach dramatises in music Jesus’s final hours on earth, tracing the story of his arrest, the disciple Peter’s denial, Christ’s trial before Pilate and, finally, his crucifixion and burial. While the narrative is conveyed in music of direct emotional power, this is offset by a sequence of arias and chorales in which we are invited to contemplate our own response to this timeless story.
Tonight’s soloists are second to none, led by Robert Murray as the Evangelist; the orchestra is pure baroque, and the choir will be at their best. This anniversary concert will be a performance to remember. Don’t miss it!
Booking opens 6 November 2021
Tickets £27 (reserved), £22 and £17 (unreserved)
Early booking discount £1 off all tickets booked by 30 December 2021
Vivaldi Gloria and glorious Bach
Saturday 21 May 2022
7.30pm
(ends 9.10pm approximately)
St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds
Bach O ewiges Feuer (BWV34)
Bach O Jesu Christ, mein Lebens Licht (BWV118)
Bach/Kuhnau Der Gerechte kommt um
Vivaldi Gloria in D
Rachel Dyson soprano
Valerie Reid mezzo-soprano
Graeme Danby bass
Suffolk Baroque Players
Bury Bach Choir
Philip Reed conductor
The summer concert in our 90th Anniversary year features the music of Bach and Vivaldi. Bach admired and was influenced by Vivaldi, transcribing several of the Venetian’s violin concertos for solo organ as well as emulating Vivaldi’s concerto style in his own instrumental concertos.
Our concert juxtaposes two celebratory works with a pair of more sober compositions. Bach’s cantata for Whitsunday 1742, O ewiges Feuer (BWV34), welcomes the Holy Spirit with appropriately rousing and jubilant music, while Vivaldi’s much-loved, extrovert Gloria in D is full of catchy melodies and optimism. These two jubilant pieces are complemented by Bach’s exquisite single-movement motet, O Jesu Christ, mein Lebens Licht (BWV118), composed in 1736–7, and his equally beautiful setting of Der Gerechte kommt um, a reworking of a Latin motet by his Leipzig predecessor, Johann Kuhnau.
Booking opens 6 November 2021
Tickets £27 (reserved), £22 and £17 (unreserved)
Early booking discount £1 off all tickets booked by 30 January 2022
Handel Messiah
Saturday 12 November 2022
7.00pm
(please note the earlier than usual start time; ends 9.40pm approximately)
The Apex, Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds
Fae Evelyn soprano
Valerie Reid mezzo-soprano
Austin Gunn tenor
Graeme Danby bass
Suffolk Baroque Players
Bury Bach Choir
Tom Appleton conductor
Come and enjoy the energy and variety of Handel’s best-known work, performed by the Bury Bach Choir in The Apex concert hall in Bury St Edmunds.
If you’ve not heard Messiah before, prepare to be enthralled by the most famous oratorio in the English language. Featuring the “Hallelujah Chorus” and many other famous numbers, Messiah is in turn powerful, then colourful and light, then stirring and majestic, as the soloists and chorus tell each stage of the familiar story with unsurpassed clarity and emotion.
This is musical storytelling of the very highest quality, full of catchy tunes and a remarkable variety of pace guaranteed to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. What is more, in the world class acoustic of The Apex, the orchestra will be playing fine baroque instruments, including baroque trumpets with no keys and no valves.
With top-flight soloists and the superb Suffolk Baroque Players, this promises to be a performance to remember. Don’t miss it!
All seats reserved
Booking opens 5 September 2022
Tickets £25, £20 and £15 (half price for under-30s) plus Apex booking fee £1.50
Early booking discount £1 off all full price tickets booked by 30 September 2022
A Christmas Celebration
Saturday 17 December 2022
7.30pm
(ends 9.00pm approximately)
The Church of St Peter and St Paul, Lavenham
Valerie Reid mezzo-soprano
Ben Noble bass
Christopher Moore organ
Anne Reece piano
Bury Bach Choir
Gill Gane conductor
Get Christmas off to a joyful start by joining us for a feast of Christmas music in the beautiful parish church at Lavenham. This concert is always a highlight of the Christmas season!
We will be singing a variety of seasonal music, mixing the familiar with some less-known pieces.
We are delighted that this year opera singers Ben Noble and Valerie Reid (our Co-President) will be performing with us. It’ll be a great evening!
Bring the family and join in with your favourite carols before enjoying mince pies and mulled wine.
Ticket price includes refreshments.
There will be a retiring collection in aid of humanitarian relief in Ukraine.
Booking opens 5 September 2022
Tickets £16 (all unreserved), under 30's half price
Early booking discount £1 off all full price tickets booked by 31 October 2022
Tickets also available from 1 November 2022 (for cash only) from
Lavenham Blue Vintage Tea Rooms, Market Place, Lavenham
(open every day 10.00am - 4.30pm: tel. 01787 248295)
Bury St Edmunds Bach Society, registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation in England and Wales, no. 1181842.
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