Bach, the Organist, A Trumpet and Organ Concert, Berkshire Bach Society, Allen Dean trumpet and Walter Hilse, Organ, by Michael Miller
Trumpet and Organ Concert
Berkshire Bach Society
Bach, the Organist
Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 4pm
St. Stephen's Church in Pittsfield
Walter Hilse, organ; Allan Dean, trumpet; String ensemble
The Berkshire Bach Society pursued its lively and varied work of furthering the legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach in our region with a program focused on Bach the organist. This year’s programs have concentrated on different aspects, some rather unusual, of Bach’s multifarious activities and output. The first explored gypsy dances and improvisations and their influence on the music of Bach, Telemann, and others — of course of a secular nature. The second was a choral concert devoted to Bach’s music for the Thomanerschule in Leipzig. Of course the Brandenburgs didn’t fail to appear at New Year’s. Last week’s program, although it involved a well-known aspect of Bach’s work, his genius as a virtuoso and composer for the organ, brought out some elements we often tend to ignore: the zest, even mischief in his arrangements of Vivaldi concerti, and his sense of humor. One got more of an impression of Bach’s personality than one can find often in his best-known masterpieces.
