Sacred Song of the Middle Baroque

The sacred music of the late 17th century was characterized by broad experimentation in expressing emotions and setting texts, sometimes ranging within a single piece from the extremes of serene intimacy to wild fantasy. This concert, performed by Concentus, with our regular, wonderful baroque string ensemble, featured both vocal and instrumental works by Vincent Lübeck, Andreas Hammerschmidt, Dietrich Buxtehude, and others. Concentus presented a program of unusual music from the neglected generation before Bach and Handel, in which the church cantata emerged as a distinct form.