Bach Aria Group
Encyclopedia
The Bach Aria Group is an ensemble of vocal and instrumental musicians that was created in 1946 by William H. Scheide in New York city
to perform the works of J. S. Bach.
The five original singers were sopranos Ellen Osborn and Jean Carlton, alto Margaret Tobias, tenor Robert Harmon, and bass-baritone Norman Farrow. The five instrumentalists who accompanied them were violinist Maurice Welk, oboist Robert Bloom, flutist Julius Baker
, 'cellist David Soyer, and keyboard player Sergius Kagen
.
Over the years there were changes in personnel: 'cellist Bernard Greenhouse
replaced David Soyer, and keyboard players Erich Itor Kahn and Paul Ulanowsky
came after Sergius Kagen
. Several important singers were later guests or regular members, including Jennie Tourel
, Mack Harrell
, Jan Peerce
, Eileen Farrell
, and Maureen Forrester
.
The ensemble made its Carnegie Hall
debut in 1948, and made regular concert tours beginning in the 1950s. They also performed with many important orchestras as a solo group in the larger works of Bach, especially his Passions. They also made many recordings at that time.
movement.
But instead of disbanding, flutist Samuel Baron (who joined the ensemble in 1965) asked to take over the leadership of the group, and Mr. Scheide happily agreed.
After a year of rebuilding in 1981, they resumed their performance and touring schedule, and they developed a highly successful workshop for performers, the Bach Aria Festival and Institute, as a summer program at Stony Brook University on Long Island
. The Institute and Festival continued its operations until the summer of 1997, training an entire generation of American performers of Bach's music.
The membership continued to change through the years. In the 1980s and 1990s the instrumentalists in the group included Samuel Baron, oboist Ronald Roseman, violinist Daniel Phillips, 'cellist Timothy Eddy, and keyboard player Yehudi Wyner
. They continued to perform on modern instruments and at modern pitch (A=440 Hz), even after other groups changed to reproductions of Baroque instruments at a lower "Baroque pitch" (A=415 Hz).
The singers changed more frequently, but in the 1980's they included soprano Susan Davenny Wyner, alto Janice Taylor, tenor Seth McCoy, and bass Thomas Paul. Later singers included soprano Carol Webber, altos D'Anna Fortunato
and Mary Westbrook-Geha, tenor David Britton, and bass William Sharp
. In 2001 the membership included flutist Tara Helen O’Connor, Daniel Phillips, Timothy Eddy, Yehudi Wyner, with soprano Beverly Hoch and bass John Stephens. A concert announcement for 2012 indicates that the membership has not changed recently.
Its papers, music collection, and other historical documents are now held in the Music Division of the Library of Congress
The Bach Aria Group is still active, currently in its fifth decade. Operating as a musicians' collective by its current members, it is represented by John Gingrich Management, Inc. It now finds itself to be one of the longest-running chamber music organizations in the United States.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to perform the works of J. S. Bach.
Founding period, 1946-1980
The American Bach scholar William H. Scheide brought together a group of New York musicians in 1946 to perform arias from Bach's cantatas and other works. Besides setting the artistic goals and policies, Scheide also helped fund the group, making up for any financial deficits from his own resources.The five original singers were sopranos Ellen Osborn and Jean Carlton, alto Margaret Tobias, tenor Robert Harmon, and bass-baritone Norman Farrow. The five instrumentalists who accompanied them were violinist Maurice Welk, oboist Robert Bloom, flutist Julius Baker
Julius Baker
Julius Baker was one of the foremost American orchestral flute players.He was well known as a teacher and served as a faculty member at the Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music, and Carnegie Mellon University...
, 'cellist David Soyer, and keyboard player Sergius Kagen
Sergius Kagen
Sergius Kagen was an American pianist and composer and voice teacher.-Life and musical career:...
.
Over the years there were changes in personnel: 'cellist Bernard Greenhouse
Bernard Greenhouse
Bernard Greenhouse was an American cellist and one of the founding members of the Beaux Arts Trio.-Life:Greenhouse was born in Newark, New Jersey. He started his professional studies with Felix Salmond at the Juilliard School when he was eighteen...
replaced David Soyer, and keyboard players Erich Itor Kahn and Paul Ulanowsky
Paul Ulanowsky
Paul Alexander Theodore Ulanowsky was an Austrian-American pianist, accompanist, vocal coach, and music educator of Austrian and Ukrainian decent. He began his career as the pianist for the Vienna Philharmonic from 1927-1935...
came after Sergius Kagen
Sergius Kagen
Sergius Kagen was an American pianist and composer and voice teacher.-Life and musical career:...
. Several important singers were later guests or regular members, including Jennie Tourel
Jennie Tourel
Jennie Tourel was a Russian-American operatic mezzo-soprano, known for her work in both opera and recital performances....
, Mack Harrell
Mack Harrell
Mack Harrell was an American baritone who was regarded as one of the greatest concert singers of his generation....
, Jan Peerce
Jan Peerce
Jan Peerce was an American operatic tenor. Peerce was an accomplished performer on the operatic and Broadway concert stages, in solo recitals, and as a recording artist. He is the father of film director Larry Peerce....
, Eileen Farrell
Eileen Farrell
Eileen Farrell was an American soprano who had a nearly 60 year long career performing both classical and popular music in concerts, theatres, on radio and television, and on disc. While she was active as an opera singer, her concert engagements far outnumbered her theatrical appearances...
, and Maureen Forrester
Maureen Forrester
Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, was a Canadian operatic contralto.-Life and career:Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in a poor section of Montreal, Quebec. She was one of four children to Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetmaker, and his Irish-born wife, the former May Arnold. She...
.
The ensemble made its Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
debut in 1948, and made regular concert tours beginning in the 1950s. They also performed with many important orchestras as a solo group in the larger works of Bach, especially his Passions. They also made many recordings at that time.
Recent period, 1980-present
After more than 30 years of leadership, Scheide announced that he would disband the ensemble in 1980, proclaiming that "his aim had been accomplished". However, by that time its performance style had grown out of fashion, not in line with the growing "authentic performance"Historically informed performance
Historically informed performance is an approach in the performance of music and theater. Within this approach, the performance adheres to state-of-the-art knowledge of the aesthetic criteria of the period in which the music or theatre work was conceived...
movement.
But instead of disbanding, flutist Samuel Baron (who joined the ensemble in 1965) asked to take over the leadership of the group, and Mr. Scheide happily agreed.
After a year of rebuilding in 1981, they resumed their performance and touring schedule, and they developed a highly successful workshop for performers, the Bach Aria Festival and Institute, as a summer program at Stony Brook University on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The Institute and Festival continued its operations until the summer of 1997, training an entire generation of American performers of Bach's music.
The membership continued to change through the years. In the 1980s and 1990s the instrumentalists in the group included Samuel Baron, oboist Ronald Roseman, violinist Daniel Phillips, 'cellist Timothy Eddy, and keyboard player Yehudi Wyner
Yehudi Wyner
Yehudi Wyner is an American composer, pianist, conductor, and music educator.Wyner, who grew up in New York City, was raised in a musical family. His father, Lazar Weiner, was an eminent composer of Yiddish art songs. Wyner attended Juilliard, Yale, and Harvard...
. They continued to perform on modern instruments and at modern pitch (A=440 Hz), even after other groups changed to reproductions of Baroque instruments at a lower "Baroque pitch" (A=415 Hz).
The singers changed more frequently, but in the 1980's they included soprano Susan Davenny Wyner, alto Janice Taylor, tenor Seth McCoy, and bass Thomas Paul. Later singers included soprano Carol Webber, altos D'Anna Fortunato
D'Anna Fortunato
D'Anna Fortunato is a noted American mezzo-soprano. Among her teachers were Phyllis Curtin and Gladys Childs Miller...
and Mary Westbrook-Geha, tenor David Britton, and bass William Sharp
William Sharp
William Sharp may refer to:*William Sharp , English engraver*William Sharp , English-born lithographer and painter; lived in Boston, Massachusetts...
. In 2001 the membership included flutist Tara Helen O’Connor, Daniel Phillips, Timothy Eddy, Yehudi Wyner, with soprano Beverly Hoch and bass John Stephens. A concert announcement for 2012 indicates that the membership has not changed recently.
Its papers, music collection, and other historical documents are now held in the Music Division of the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
The Bach Aria Group is still active, currently in its fifth decade. Operating as a musicians' collective by its current members, it is represented by John Gingrich Management, Inc. It now finds itself to be one of the longest-running chamber music organizations in the United States.
External links
- http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Bach-Aria-Group.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KMWuGHufBk Eileen Farrell performs with the Bach Aria Group