“An Event Truly of Christmas”

On Saturday, 25 December, when Catholic Christians all over the world celebrate the Nativity of Christ, a truly Christmas event took place in our city: the first evening of the new subscription series connected with the 2000th anniversary of Christianity, called “Biblical Stories”, was held at the Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic.

In the Kremlin Concert Hall the famous but extremely rarely performed Mass in B minor by J. S. Bach was heard. The people of Nizhny can be congratulated, and the philharmonic thanked for such a generous gift. This work is on a grand scale (two hours of music); it is Bach’s best and one of the best in world music. The composer’s designation “High” emphasises its non-applied character. Indeed, it is a lyrical and philosophical poem about man, his conscience, joys and sorrows.

Photo by G. Likin

The High Mass is intended for a large choir, a group of soloists, an orchestra and an organ. At our evening it was performed by a large combined collective: the municipal choir “Nizhny Novgorod” and the youth choir of the choir school (artistic director Lev Sivukhin), the Saratov Provincial Theatre of Choral Music (artistic director Lyudmila Litsova), a group of soloists from Moscow theatres, and the academic symphony orchestra of the Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic (conductor Alexander Skulsky).

The hall was full, and twice as many wanted to attend. The reception by the grateful public was warm and festive.

Truly the philharmonic has opened the parade of Christmas celebrations.

Valentina Grigorievna Blinova Newspaper “Kurs” 5.12.1999

Column: Music