Bach Expert To Lead Chorale

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32396, 8 September 1970, Page 9

Bach Expert To Lead Chorale

The Christchurch Harmonic Chorale is to have a noted British authority on the music of Bach as its conductor for a. recital in the Christchurch Cathedral in November. Paul Steinitz, founder of j the London Bach Society, will' be visiting New Zealand and: will conduct concerts in' Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. 'tor the Christchurch recital the musical director will be William Hawkey and the chorale will be accompanied by the Christchurch Civic Orchestra. Dr Steinitz is parttime professor of harmony and counterpoint at the Royal Academy of Music. The London Bach Society performs the works of Bach in a manner as nearly authentic as possible. The work of the society has stimulated enormous interest in the works of J. S. Bach, most of which were seldom previ-

ously heard. One of the society’s projects was the performance of all of Bach’s church cantatas, and in 1968 the Steinitz Bach Players were formed ini an attempt to achieve a

genuinely baroque orchestral sound. The society also gave the first London performance of the complete St Matthew Passion in German, and this is now repeated annually in the historic church of St Batholomew the Great (1123 A.D.) where Dr Steinitz was for many years organist and choirmaster. Under Dr Steinitz the Bach society has also been invited to give concerts and broadcasts in Hamburg, Stuttgart, Freiburg, Leipzig, Halle and Israel, and in 1971 a three-week tour of the United States is planned. Dr Steinitz includes among his other activities examining, lecturing at the University of London’s Goldsmiths College, and running summer schools for choirs and orchestras in all parts of England and Wales. He has recently published two books on harmony, and he writes extensively for the British musical press on 'matters connected with his particular field of study. He contributed two chapters to the New Oxford History of

Music. For his concert in the Cathedral the Christchurch Harmonic Chorale will be augmented, and the programme will include Bach’s “Magnificat in D.”