Darkness. Wonder. Light. Bach’s music and atmospheric science come together in an exploration of beauty emerging from uncertainty, and how joy can be found in the darkest places.

In a concert series with a difference – inspired by JS Bach, composer and intergalactic genius – Bach, the Universe and Everything takes audiences on a cosmic adventure in which music meets astronomy. Expect awe, beauty and big ideas.

In ‘Ihr werdet weinen und heulen’ Bach confronts the paradox that in life sorrow and joy can exist at the same time. Starting out in B minor, a key that he reserved for some of his most profound music, the cantata gives voice to the promise held in the opening lines that ‘You shall weep and wail… yet your sorrow shall be changed into joy’. Bach responds with music that blends emotional intensity, imagination and some of his most daringly operatic writing.

Have you ever wondered why our planet’s atmosphere flows from west to east? Or even why it moves at all. Guest speaker Simon Clark will build an atmosphere from scratch, and layer by layer recreate our planet’s beautiful firmament. Simon Clark is a science communicator with a background in atmospheric physics, specialising in discussing the climate crisis on his eponymous YouTube channel.

This season also features six motets by the English composer Richard Dering (c. 1580–1630). A Catholic convert, he spent much of his career working in continental Europe before returning to England in 1625. Dering’s music bridged the Renaissance and Baroque styles.

Programme:
JS Bach Ihr werdet weinen und heulen (You shall weep and wail), BWV 103
Richard Dering Ardens est cor meum

Performers:
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Steven Devine series music director
Simon Clark guest speaker