Quodlibet Ensemble bridges Bach and Black Lives Matter

By Kurt Gottschalk, 02 October 2020

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“anxious and enormously effective”

Reviewed at Baryshnikov Arts Center, Jerome Robbins Theater, New York City on 1 October 2020

Rzewski, Coming Together

Price, Bewilderment

Price, My Soul’s Been Anchored In De Lord

Price, Rise Mourner

Price, I’m Going To Lay Down My Heavy Load

Bach, Widerstehe doch der Sünde - Cantata, BWV54

Reginald Mobley, Narrator, Countertenor

Quodlibet Ensemble

God’s Holy Spirit: Reginald Mobley and the Bach Akademie Australia

Sandra Bowdler, 6th April

A heartfelt performance from American countertenor with the Bach Akademie Australia with contrasting spiritual works by Bach and Vivaldi.

***11

Sons of England: a fresh look at English Baroque from the AAM

Susannah Moody, 30th May

Countertenor Reginald Mobley and the Academy of Ancient Music shine in an alternative history of English Baroque, with a new work by Roderick Williams.

****1

Bach cantatas, American spirituals, global calamity

Kurt Gottschalk, 21st May

The Gospel according to Peter Sellars: an intermingling of Bach’s cantatas and American spirituals depicts an environmental message that the impending end won’t be personal, but global.

***11

An entertaining but uneven Carmina Burana at Tanglewood

Cameron Kelsall, 16th July

Andris Nelsons highlights the spirited wit of Orff's orchestration, but inconsistent singing from soloists and chorus leaves something to be desired.

***11

Love's reign: an entertaining Poppea in Budapest

Orsolya Gyárfás, 9th September

Conducted by Iván Fischer, a strong cast delivers an entertaining performance of Monteverdi's opera in a production that amuses, but does not quite thrill.

***11

Gardiner steps into his Ring of Cantatas in Leipzig

Stephen Pritchard, 8th June

A taste of the opening weekend in Leipzig’s marathon Bach Festival.

****1

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Kurt Gottschalk

Kurt Gottschalk is a journalist and author based in New York City. His writings on contemporary and classical music, jazz and improvisation have been published in outlets throughout Europe and America and he has two volumes of short fiction to his name. He produced and hosted the Miniature Minotaurs radio programme on WFMU and currently hosts Afternoon New Music on WKCR.