2025 Festival Programs
For Blue Hill Bach’s special 15th season, we reprise some of our favorite masterpieces from past summers — please join us as we celebrate!
Awakenings
Wednesday, July 16 — 7:30 pm
St Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church
330 Hinckley Ridge Rd, Blue Hill
Johann Sebastian Bach:
Chorale prelude on Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645
Gott soll allein meine Herze haben, BWV 169
Concerto in c minor for oboe, violin, and strings BWV 1060r
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140
Music selected from our first two seasons, including Bach’s beloved “Sleepers Awake” cantata, a festive cantata for solo alto with obligato organ performed by our founder Marcia Gronewold Sly, the famous “Bach Double” concerto for oboe and violin, and the best known of his “Schubler” chorale preludes for solo organ
featuring the magnificent Karl Wilhelm tracker organ
$35 admission, $10 students, under 18 free
Climate Change at the Baroque Café
Thursday, July 17 — 5:30 pm
David’s Folly Farm
Coastal Rd, Brooksville
Antonio Vivaldi: Concerti for Violin, op 8 Le quattro stagioni
with sonnet recitations Claudio Monteverdi: Zefiro torna
Henry Purcell: Frost Scene from King Arthur
Everyone talked about the weather back then too, including Baroque composers! Meteorological descriptions in music abound: Vivaldi portrays breezes, thunderstorms, baking sun, and freezing snow in his famous Four Seasons along with twittering birds, buzzing flies, drunken dancers, and a barking dog, while Monteverdi offers his own exuberant setting of the pleasures of spring, and Purcell depicts a frigid Frost Genius who gets thawed out by the arrival of Cupid and his spells
$35 admission, $10 students, under 18 free
Refreshments available for purchase
Festival Finale: Bach the Magnificent
Saturday, July 19 — 7:30pm
First Congregational Church of Blue Hill
22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill
Johann Sebastian Bach:
Ouverture in D major, BWV 1068
Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225
Magnificat in Eb major, BWV 243a
Some of Bach’s most joyful music! The original version of his “Orchestral Suite No. 3” contains the famous Air on the G String and the Gavotte well-known to every Suzuki violin student; his infectious motet Singet dem Herrn has all the spirit of a revival meeting, and the first version of his Magnificat includes bonus arrangements of four German Christmas carols
$35 admission, $10 students, under 18 free
Other related festival events
Bach’s Lunch
Tuesday, July 15 — 12 noon
Barncastle Event Barn
125 South Street, Blue Hill
A lecture/demonstration about the Festival’s programs
with organist/tenor/conductor James Kennerley and members of the ensemble
Free admission — a boxed lunch may be ordered ahead of time from Barncastle, click here
Baroque Vocal Master Class
Tuesday, July 15 — 7:00 pm
First Congregational Church
22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill
Baroque style and technique workshop, with the celebrated tenor and Evangelist specialist Gene Stenger. Admission free, singers interested in participating may contact Blue Hill Bach for a slot
Bach’s Brass
Friday, July 18 — 10:30 am
Howard Room, Blue Hill Public Library
Tenney Hill, Blue Hill
A close-up demonstration of the natural trumpets and horns that Bach employed in his sacred cantatas and oratorios, featuring the strange and wonderful corno da tirarsi (slide horn). Kids of all ages who are interested in how glorious sounds are made with odd-looking hardware are welcome!
Free admission