Ich steh mit einem Fuß im Grabe, BWV 156
I am standing with one foot in the grave

Despite the uneasy image in the title, this is a beautiful cantata, a lyrical portrayal of the believer’s acceptance of death and joyful trust in God’s grace. The opening sinfonia for oboe, strings and continuo borrows a familiar minor-key melody from one of Bach’s keyboard concertos, setting a mood of serenity and peace for the arias that follow. The motet for the service is by Dieterich Buxtehude (1637—1707), a moving setting of the well-known chorale “Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr” (Lord, thee I love with all my heart). Grace’s string quartet in residence, the Kontras Quartet, will perform the prelude to the service and join us for the cantata.

3:00 p.m. Cantata Preview Lecture (in-person only)
Mark Peters, Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights

3:45 p.m. Bach Cantata Vespers (in-person and online)
Kontras Quartet: Eleanor Bartsch, François Henkins, Ben Weber, and Jean Hatmaker

Dieterich Buxtehude: Herzlich lieb hab ich dich, o Herr, BuxWV 41

David John Hailey, First Baptist Church, Oak Park, Illinois, homilist

Nathalie Colas, soprano
Thomas Aláan, countertenor
Ryan Townsend Strand, tenor
Douglas Anderson, baritone

Bach Cantata Vespers Chorus and Orchestra
Grace Cantor Michael D. Costello, conducting