Enjoy a melodic evening as the BYU Baroque Ensemble presents “Positive Temperaments” drawing on the repertoire of J.S. Bach
As the bustle of the fall season begins to heighten, the BYU Baroque Ensemble will be presenting their performance “Positive Temperaments” on Wednesday, October 27. BYU’s own musicians will feature the music of J.S. Bach, providing an evening of both wellness and focus.Director Alexander Woods expressed his excitement for this event and said he looks forward to presenting the performance.“We will be performing Cantata No. 4 ‘Christ lay in the snares of death,’” Woods said. “It is based on an Easter hymn by Martin Luther and is full of beautiful characterizations and depictions of Christ through music.”He continued, “Bach wrote this piece at the age of 21, not unlike the students that will be performing it. We will also include other works of his.”Along with BYU students, faculty will also be highlighted in the production.“This concert features the music of J.S. Bach, the most well-known and revered composer of the Baroque era. We will be performing . . .with vocal soloists from the School of Music faculty; Diane Thueson Reich, Jennifer Youngs, Andrew Crane and Robert Brandt,” said Woods.He explained that he has done some reading on Baroque music and found that this particular style is proven not only to be easy on the ears, but mellow on the mind as well.“My inspiration for this concert came from some research I did. Our wellness can be improved by the specific vibrations of Baroque music,” he said.The director discovered an article by Registered Psychologist and ABC Classic presenter Greta Bradman, where she states that Baroque music, or “music from around the years 1600-1750,” may be “especially powerful at helping you focus.”Woods encourages all to come and enjoy this “calm and contemplative” performance.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The performance will be located in the Madsen Recital Hall in the Harris Fine Arts Center. To find out more information about this free event, go to arts.byu.edu.All patrons are required to wear a mask while indoors at campus performance venues, regardless of vaccination status.