Contains:
Includes bibliographical references and index
Bach, Bethlehem, and Wolle : 1733-1897 -- Creating an American Bach choir : 1898 -- A national success : 1899-1900 -- Becoming international : 1901 -- The Bach festivals questioned : 1902 -- Bach festivals as an idea : 1903 -- A Bach cycle : 1904-1905 -- The Wolles in California : 1905-1911 -- Renewing the Bach choir in Bethlehem : 1912-1913 -- An American center for Bach : 1914 -- "My Bach Choir" : 1915-1933 -- Years of transition : 1934-1938 -- A more comprehensive scope : the third conductor -- A distinguished career : 1951-1969 -- Connecting with Bach : 1969-1976 -- Mann's last years with the choir : 1976-1980 -- In Mann's footsteps : 1981-1983 -- A renewed choir : 1982-1990 -- "A more sophisticated organization": 1991-1996 -- "A national treasure" : 1996-2000 -- A second centennial : 2000-2007.
Footnote:
Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-237) and index
Description:
An account of the actions taken by the residents of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to create a local amateur society singing the music of J.S. Bach and to develop it into a choir of international importance. Singers, instrumentalists, industrialists, academicians, bankers, and churches acted in community to found and perpetuate a group devoted to sharing the music of Bach locally, nationally, and internationally. While The Bach Choir of Bethlehem performs frequently elsewhere, the annual Bethlehem Bach Festival became and remains a magnet for those who love Bach and want to experience his music excellently performed in historic and sacred surroundings. In order to reach and maintain its premier status, the choir, its conductor, its board, and staff had to be experts in music performance and shifts in audience tastes. They had to be responsive to research in performance practice, and skilled in strategic planning, promotion and fundraising. In recent years they had to become competent in sound recording technology and use of the internet. These attributes are described and analyzed with frequent use of documents and personal anecdotes.