Bach Bagatelles

March 12

              By Linda de Vries

On this date in 1969, the Swingle Singers won a Grammy award for Jazz Sebastian Bach.

This event provides our Bach Bagatelle for today: Bach Swings.

The Swingle Singers, founded by Ward Swingle in 1962, similar to PDQ Bach, is another contemporary take on Sebastian’s work. This group, still performing today, represents an important contribution to 20^th century music.

Owing to a temporary indisposition, I will complete this post tomorrow. In the meantime, please take notes:

On March 26^th at 7pm at the Whittier Public Library Whittwood branch, singers from Chorale Bel Canto and its Music Director Stephen Gothold will sing some of the Swingle’s arrangements. They will also sing and discuss segments of the upcoming Chorale concert on April 5^th at 4pm in the Whittier College Memorial Chapel, where the group will sing Bach’s Cantata based on Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” and his Ascension Oratorio.

This Chorale performance is part of the Whittier Bach Festival. Other concerts include: the Student Poet Musicale on April 4^th at noon, The Horizon Music Group performing Bach’s Coffee and Peasant Cantata on April 4^th at 8pm, and a Solo Harpsichord Recital by Raymond Erickson on April 6^th at 8pm. All three of these events also take place in the chapel.