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"Bach didn't have a very keen sense of posterity: it just didn't occur to composers at that time that people in generations to come would still be playing their music," says Dyck. "He would not have written with history in mind, He would have simply been writing for Sunday morning, 1734, hoping that maybe a dozen people and God would appreciate what he was doing." Well, it's safe to say that more theft a dozen people appreciate the genius of Bach. Although the Christmas Oratorio is Dyck explains that the Philharmonic Choir does not perform this particular piece often because it is not as well known as Bach's other sacred works, including the B Minor Mass and St. Matthew's Passion. He also explains when Bach composed the oratorio in 1734, he never imagined people would still be listening to his music in the twentieth century Under the musical direction of Howard Dyck, the too-voice choir takes concert- goers through the story of the nativity with the coming of Mary and Joseph to Beth. lehem, the birth of Christ, the shepherds keeping watch, the annunciation of Christ, the naming of Christ and the visitation of the three wise men. For the first time in 16 years. the Kitcheoer.Waterloo Philharmonic Choir will present Bach's Christmas Oratorio. _ By Michelle Lahn Philharmonic Choir sings Bach's Christmas Oratorio Ina K-W Phunarmonic Choir, under the direction of Howard Dyck, perform Bach's Christmas Oratorio this Sunday at The Centre in the Square. Tyt K_-W Ph_ilharmonic Choir, The oratorio consists of six separate Cantatas, each originally pedormed on the six feast days of Christmas. In the work, Bach makes great use of musical tech- nique. explains Dyck. The actual storytell- ing, for example is done by the tenor soloist with minimal accompaniment - only cello. double-bass and organ are used - bringing clarity to the action. To create greater emotion, Bach often uses the choir, accompanied by a complete or. chestra, illustrating emotions that range from adoration to jubilation, Bach also takes welt-known Chorals. dating back to the Reformation of the 16th century, and integrates them Into the music, According to Dyck, Bach would re- work the Chorals or add orchestral accom. paniments to them or just re-harmonize them to accent different chords, still keeping the tunes recognizable, “I think that Bach, probably more than any other composer, was able to combine musical techniques with giving expression to the words," says Dyck, "He spans the complete Christmas story, everything from the holy family arriving in Bethlehem all the way to the wise men. It tells the story in a more complete way than ony other work I can think of." not as well known in Canada, it enjoys the same popularity as Handel's Messiah in the G!srtyepettkiog countries, (Continued on page B2) All seven actors remain on the stage throughout the 90-minutc production, whether or not they are par1Kypa0ng In the slut of the moment, an exercise which can be very demanding on the actors, Price says This being her hrst time In the director‘s (she has acted and written or co-written several other Starlight pro- ductionsl, Price IS making every effort to make the expernece a tulhllmg one tor Seven actors - Chns Knarr, Jeff Blair, Sheri Allen. Lisa Gamble, Melanie Kramer, Lori Lorenz, and Don Moun- teer - make up the cast, and play all characters, mcludnng Mrs Mortons students, Among Friends and Clutter has no plot to speak of, Pnce says But the skits are joined by one common thread To introduce each of the three seg- ments, Price has devused "Mrs Mor. ton's Grade 2 Class", which the audi. ence hears talking about vanous relationships. As the play progresses. the children In the class age until at they become grown-ups at the end of the production The result IS a play which IS divuded into three segments, One segment deals with relationships between friends, another deals With relation. ships between family members, and the third deals with dating Price wrote the piece after three weeks of workshopping with the com. pany's actors, The improvisational workshops provided her with the frame. work she needed before laying down the actual script, with the actors them. setvee offering a great deal of input, "For each segment, the actors im. provised and the character started to take shape," Price says "As they improvised, I 1ust started writing} Though Among Friends ans C" 'Y uses much humor to orese'wr Mn ”Ir/W» Prce advnses that It ' more 99w“ t mature audiences She Suggpw ",. teenagers arm amms W!" L"' , '"; production “Those are the types ot shows Mat have the most Impact on an euclence Price says " 5 not \augh ens"- laugh, laugh and It s not totem sen ous Its a mu of both mm! m- 'eil ME The production deals WIlh renaxlor ships m many ways, trom humor 2: tender. serious dvatogue One scene anvolves a mother and daughter olsr cussmg the daughter s weodmg onaos another pokes fun at the Sly argur ments married couples have anc another G the emotional 510m y a young gm who vusns her hosodauzec comatose mother 'Its something that everyone w» know, Pnce says Everyornenas tac a friend. or they ve got ‘a'mw or they've been m a dating snuaho' Sc this IS real for the eminence Price says she demoed to emoark G" a production wmch dean wnh 'elaho" ships because It ' a 2001c that everyone IS familiar Wlth the actors and for horse" "It's been realty great, Pace says "I've worked with most of the actors f the show m other capacmes sc m that sense, It s very comfortatye - r mow them all, I know what they can ac anc l trust them H3 19% PAGF RI