It is hard to imagine the Baroque period’s master composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, having to audition for any position. Such was the case in selecting the coveted position of cantor of Leipzig. But Bach had rivals; at one point, seven of them. And even though he was considered a strong candidate for the position, he was not a shoo-in. For the 21st century man or woman of discerning taste and fair judgment, the Bach Sinfonia presents a re-creation of three audition pieces, by three different composers (Bach among them) as they would have been presented to the 18th-century, high-and-mighty selection committee — the Leipzig Town Council.
Now, through the wonders of modern technology, audiences who gather on Saturday evening at the Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring will assume roles of the Leipzig judges and vote, based on the works presented, for the man most qualified for the top job — a sort of “Leipzig Idol.”
| Onstage |
| The Bach Sinfonia: You Decide: Bach’s Audition at Leipzig |
| Where: Cultural Arts Center at Silver Spring, Montgomery College, 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring |
| When: 8 p.m. Saturday |
| Info: Call for ticket prices; 301-362-6525; bachsinfonia.org |
“I’m always looking for programs that can bring adult education at its best to the forefront,” noted Daniel Abraham, the Sinfonia’s conductor and musicologist. “We try to infuse some kind of education about the time, the culture, the music and the composers into our programming. This seemed like a good way to introduce our audiences to one small aspect of Bach’s life, and to his magnificent cantatas.”
Additionally, audiences will be introduced to some lesser-known composers and their pieces; some they’ve heard before, others, maybe not. The Bach Sinfonia will also present the music of two more contestants: Johann Christoph Graupner and Georg Friedrich Kauffmann.
During the concert, members of the audience will rate each work using hand-held wireless clickers provided by Turning Technologies and the software will tally the data. It will then be displayed on an overhead screen, thus incorporating the use of a real-time audience response system. Soloists and orchestra will present each lovely cantata for judgment.
“In this particular [concert] I’ve sworn to remain quiet and allow the audience to have their own impressions and initial reactions to the work without being prompted,” Abraham continued. “Once [we’ve] done the entire program … we’ll show how the people voted.”
In the end, the audience of 2012 will decide who should have received the much coveted position.
