The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge

In the past week, the Choir and Chapel have enjoyed a number of excitements! The greatest of these of course was of course our termly Bach Cantata Evensong. The Cantata was written by Bach for the third Sunday after Epiphany, first performed on 27 January 1726 in Leipzig, and was as usual performed with St John's Sinfonia who opened and closed the service with Sinfonias from Cantatas 21 and 49. The Chapel was packed out with members of the College and (principally) those who have become part of an almost cult following of our Cantata series. Next term's Cantata Evensong will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 Choral Evensong on 2 May at 3.30pm. The Choir's return to Bach will come to a high point this term with the St John Passion.

As well as musical highlights in services such as two pieces by S.S. Wesley which we plan to record over Easter and the 'resurrection' of Tavener's Lord's Prayer which hasn't graced Evensong in St John's for a good few years, the Choir sang two masses by Croce and Palestrina and Jonathan Harvey's anthem I love the Lord. Another special and unusual Chapel event was the full rendition of La nativité du Seigneur, nine meditations for organ, played by John Challenger to a candlelit Chapel, interspersed with the reading of short inscriptions which are attached to each of its nine movements.

In other news, booking has opened for the St John Passion on 15 March and we've released our latest disc, Bernstein: Chichester Psalms which can be purchased on-line directly from us and our own label, SJCR.

Johnians at the Barbican? Read more....