On stage: All six cantatas of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio will be performed on New Year’s Eve at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral.
As a longtime member of Choral Arts Philadelphia, bass singer Dave Mosteller of Huntingdon Valley has sung in many holiday concerts. But the concert next week is a first.
Starting at 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, the singers, together with the Bach Festival Orchestra, will perform a most ambitious work — all six cantatas of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.
Rarely performed in its entirety, this oratorio — which presents a continuing narrative of the Christmas story — is considered one of Bach’s greatest Christmas works.
“We’ve never done anything like this before,” said Mosteller.
The opening section is the one most frequently performed, and he’s sung it often with several choral groups. But singing all six is a first.
The event, held at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, will span four hours, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will be sung in two parts, divided by an extended intermission complete with food and drink concessions.
Mosteller admits he was surprised to learn that the concert would include the entire work. But an even bigger surprise was the concert date of Dec. 31.
“Usually it’s sung as a Christmas concert in mid-December,” he said. “It’s very innovative to do it on New Year’s Eve.”
To prepare for this concert, the Choral Arts singers have six rehearsals.
“They’re very intense, with no time wasted,” said Mosteller. “We get a lot accomplished.”
The work will be sung in German (with translations in the program). And that’s not a problem for these singers.
“We’re accustomed to it, because we’ve sung many works of Bach and other German composers,” said Mosteller.
Moreover, artistic director Matthew Glandorf grew up in Germany.
“He can tell us exactly how he wants the works pronounced.”
Still, Mosteller is not minimizing the challenges of doing this piece.
“It’s technically difficult for any chorus,” he said. “There are many notes and they’re sung in rapid succession. And with 40 singers, it all has to be synchronized. The singers have to be of one mind.”
Mosteller is quite familiar with the piece not only from his choral group experience but also because of a longstanding family tradition.
He first heard it on a Christmas morning in 1978.
“My mother-in-law would always play it on Christmas morning,” he said. “She and my wife both loved it — and I did, too, as soon as I heard it.
“It’s very joyful — with infectious energy. Sometimes when people think of Bach, they think it will be slow music. But this piece is full of joy and life.”
A longtime choral singer, young Dave Mosteller first sang in a boys choir in the fourth grade. Later, he sang in the high school choir and then the choir at Susquehanna College.
The versatile musician also played piano and trumpet — and still plays piano. He’s not the only music-maker in the family. Wife Laurel is also a Choral Arts member. Their two adult children both play instruments. Son Don is a drummer and also plays piano; daughter Amy plays saxophone and trumpet.
“They both have good voices, but so far, they’re not bitten by the choral music bug,” aid Mosteller.
But their father was “bitten” years ago. He’s been singing with choral groups for 35 years.
It started in 1979, when he joined the Music Group of Philadelphia, a group of approximately 50 singers led by the late Sean Deibler.
In 1982, Deibler went on to found Choral Arts Society (now Choral Arts Philadelphia). At the time, it was a large 150-member group that often sang with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Mosteller continued with the Music Group until it ended in 2000, when he and his wife joined Choral Arts. At the time, it consisted of about 90 singers. Now, it is a 40-voice chamber chorus well known as a premier early-music choir that has performed nearly 300 works by more than 100 composers.
One of those composers is J.S. Bach, and the singers are now preparing for next week’s New Year’s Eve concert presenting his entire Christmas Oratorio together with the Bach Festival Orchestra.
Mosteller is eagerly looking forward to it.
“Since we’re singing the whole piece, we’ll be able to see how each section fits together into the whole,” he said. “We’ll have a better understanding of what Bach had in mind.”
The singers — including soloists — will be joined by the Bach Festival Orchestra. For the second year, Choral Arts singers have also joined with this group to present a mid-week series titled Bach @7 Cantata Series. So, Mosteller is familiar with their skills.
“These are some of the finest musicians in the Philadelphia area,” he said.
And he emphasizes that it’s always a pleasure to sing with his fellow Choral Arts members.
“For me, it’s almost like being on a team of really excellent players,” he said. “They keep me on my toes. It’s very challenging — but also very exhilarating.” ••
IF YOU GO
Choral Arts Philadelphia presents the entire Christmas Oratorio by J.S. Bach on New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 3701 Chestnut St.
Tickets ($15-$45) available online at www.choralarts.com or at the door.
For information, call 267–240–2586 or email info@choralarts.com
