Bach Festivals & Cantata Series
Bethlehem Bach Festival

Name:

Bethlehem Bach Festival (Annual Festival)
Bach at Noon (Free Cantata Series)

Location:

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

Venues:

Central Moravian Church, Historic Downtown Bethlehem
First Presbyterian Church of Allentown
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem
Baker Hall, Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem
Packer Memorial Church, Lehigh University, Bethlehem
Peter Hall, Moravian College, Bethlehem

Years:

Inaugurated in 1900 and held annually from 1912

Months:

Festival: May
Cantata Series: September-April

Artistic Director:

J. Fred Wolle (1898-1933)
Bruce Carey (1933-1939)
Ifor Jones (1939-1969)
Alfred Mann (1969-1980)
William Reese (1980-1983)
Greg Funfgeld (1983-Present)

Ensembles:

Bach Choir of Bethlehem
The Bach Festival Orchestra

Website:

The Bach Choir of Bethlehem (Official Website)

History & Mission:

The Moravians, who settled in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1741, brought to the region a religious heritage greatly enriched by music. The Bethlehem Choral Union (renamed the Bach Choir of Bethlehem in 1898) gave the first complete American performances of many of J.S. Bach's major choral works during the 1880's and 1890's. The Bethlehem Bach Festival, which began in 1912, takes place in May and each year presents the Mass in B minor (BWV 232) and other choral and instrumental works.

Source: Article by John Butt in Oxford Composer Companion - J.S. Bach, edited by Malcolm Boyd (Oxford University Press, 1999)

Recent Festivals:

1^st Festival: Mar 27, 1900
2^nd Festiva: May 23-25, 1901
No Festival: 1902
3^rd Festival: May 11-16, 1903
4^th Festival: Dec 29-30, 1904 (Christmas)
5^th Festival: Apr 12-14, 1905 (Lenten)
6^th Festival: Jun 1-3, 1905 (Easter & Ascension)
No Festivals: 1906-1911
7^th Festival: May 31-Jun 1, 1912
8^th Festival: May 30-31, 1913
9^th Festival: May 29-30, 1914
10^th Festival: May 28-29, 1915

11^th Festival: May 26-27, 1916
12^th Festival: Jun 1-2, 1917
13^th Festival: May 24-25, 1918
14^th Festival: Jun 6-7, 1919
15^th Festival: May 28-29, 1920
16^th Festival: May 27-28, 1921
17^th Festival: May 26-27, 1922
18^th Festival: May 25-26, 1923
No Festival: 1924
19^th Festival: May 29-30, 1935
20^th Festival: May 14-15, 1926

21^st Festival: May 13-14, 1927
22^nd Festival: May 11-12, 1928
23^rd Festival: May 10-11, 1929
24^th Festival: May 16-17, 1930
25^th Festival: May 15-16, 1931
26^th Festival: May 13-14, 1932
No Festival: 1933
27^th Festival: May 11-12, 1934
28^th Festival: May 17-18, 1935
29^th Festival: May 22-23, 1936
30^th Festival: May 28-29, 1937

31^st Festival: May 27-28, 1938
32^nd Festival: May 19-20, 1939
33^rd Festival: May 17-18, 1940
34^th Festival: May 16-17, 1941
35^th Festival: May 15-16, 1942
36^th Festival: May 14-15, 1943
37^th Festival: May 19-20, 1944
38^th Festival: May 18-19, 1945
39^th Festival: May 17-18, 1946
40^th Festival: May 16-17, 1947

41^st Festival: May 14-15, 1948
42^nd Festival: May 20-28, 1949
43^rd Festival: May 19-27, 1950
44^th Festival: May 17-26, 1951
45^th Festival: May 15-24, 1952
46^th Festival: May 14-23, 1953
47^th Festival: May 13-22, 1954
48^th Festival: May 19-28, 1955
49^th Festival: May 10-19, 1956

101^st Festival: 2008
102^nd Festival: 2009
103^rd Festival: May 7-15, 2010
104^th Festival: May 6-14, 2011
105^th Festival: May 4-12, 2012
106^th Festival: May 3-11, 2013
107^th Festival: May 2-10, 2014
108^th Festival: May 1-9, 2015
109^th Festival: May 14-22, 2016

Logo: