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Symphony
FROM THE NEW WORLD TO THE OLD WORLD
by Peter Lert
Saturday, June 14, 2025
Chamber
MC2 DUO RECITAL CLOSES 222'S SEASON
by Terry McNeill
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Choral and Vocal
CANTIAMO SONOMA'S LUSCIOUS A CAPELLA SINGING IN SEASON ENDING CONCERT
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Symphony
SRS SEASON ENDS WITH RESOUNDING TA-TA-TA-BANG
by Terry McNeill
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Symphony
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by Peter Lert
Saturday, May 17, 2025
Symphony
MYSTICAL PLANETS AND LIVELY GERSHWIN ORTIZ AT FINAL SRS CONCERT
by Peter Lert
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Symphony
VSO'S CONCERT MUSIC OF TIME, MUSIC OF PLACE
by Peter Lert
Sunday, April 27, 2025
VOCAL ELEGANCE AND FIRE AT THE 222'S RECITAL APRIL 26
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Saturday, April 26, 2025
CANTIAMO SONOMA SINGS AN INSPIRED GOOD FRIDAY MOZART REQUIEM CONCERT
by Pamela Hicks Gailey
Friday, April 18, 2025
DRAMATIC SHOSTAKOVICH SYMPHONY CLOSES PHILHARMONIC'S 25TH SEASON
by Terry McNeill
Sunday, April 13, 2025
CHORAL AND VOCAL REVIEW

TWICE IS THE CHARM AT RIVER CHOIR'S BACH CANTATA PERFORMANCE

by Terry McNeill
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

It’s pretty rare that an entire classical music program contains just one work, and just 22 minutes at that. Sonia Tubridy’s River Choir thought so much of Bach’s Cantata No. 4, Christ lag in Todesbanden, that they sang it twice in a program April 19, and repeated the Cantata April 26. And they performed it twice each time, and I’ll return to that later.

In the Guerneville Community Church before 35 listeners on the 26th the 13-person choir was joined by violinists Peter Wehausen and John Konigsmark, violist David Hill, cellist Valerie Marshall and Ms. Tubridy directing from the piano and supplying ardent continuo.

An early Leipzig-era Cantata from 1724, the Easter day work originally was played with three trombones and trumpet as well as strings and continuo, and adding brass instruments would have stretched the sonic limits of the small church space. As it was the strings often overpowered the soloists, though Gael Reed’s rich soprano carried well. Joining Ms. Reed in solo parts were Jean Ashley, alto, Tom Lowrie, tenor, and bass Dan Fein.

What about the two performances at each concert? Tactfully excluded from the first performance, the audience was invited to stand with the choir and soloists for the repetition, raising Bach’s “Soli Gloria Deo” with hearty voices. Several did, making this wonderful music under Ms. Tubridy’s sure hand all the more resonant.