PEORIA, IL -- Hard core classical music is alive and well in Peoria.
The annual J. S. Bach festival has been taking place this week with the festival climax on June 9, a fine concert at Westminister Presbyterian Church on historic Moss Avenue. The audience filled the auditorium.
Local musicians made up the festival orchestra and choir, demonstrating once again the primacy of music as the top artform in Peoria, way ahead of theater or other artistic efforts.
The program included Bach's Brandenburg Concert No. 1 in F major; his Concerto for Two Violins in D minor; his Cantata for the "24" Sunday after Trinity; and his Cantata for the First Sunday after Trinity, all difficult, complex but beautiful works. The cantatas were sung in German (!).
A helpful printed program was filled with information on the music and musicians. (If a locally produced event can include a printed program why can't the Broadway series include them? And there were no guards or metal detectors at the entrance, unlike the Peoria Civic Center.)
This is a great, top quality series, comparable to Chicago quality at a minimal ticket cost. Thanks to the musicians and their directors for this lovely event.
-- Elaine Hopkins