It was a stunning birthday party for Johann S. Bach at St. Elizabeth’s on Friday night (March 21). The Church opened its doors to all, and 250 attended. The audience was treated to a magnificent array of Bach’s music, played by five local musicians and an oboe player from Milwaukee.
We may not have known each piece by name, but we recognized them when we heard them, starting off with Kevin Borrow (organist) and the ever-famous: Toccata. This was followed by the Prelude to Bach’s iconic unaccompanied cello suite, performed by Michele Venturella. It was the perfect piece to highlight the acoustics of the church, and her interpretation captured the flow and grandeur of the piece. It felt as if we were all back in church with Bach. Then Jesse Gomez (violin) joined Venturella in the moving and familiar Ave Maria duet.
But there is more! The orchestral piece (Suite no. 3) was delightful. Playing the Second Movement, the famous “Air on a G String,” one could feel the entire audience relax into a dream-like state. The concert finished with a Concerto for Violin, Oboe, and Strings, featuring Jesse Gomez and Miko Roman (oboe). While the piece was exquisite throughout, there were audible sighs of contentment after the heartfelt rendition of the Adagio. And there was a standing ovation (yes, in a church) at the close of the piece.
Unquestionably, the ovation was for all the players, the thoughtful programming, and the exuberant energy with which everyone played. Besides those already mentioned were: Nancy Maio (violin), Heather Kamikawa (viola), and Benjamin Holt (contrabass).
