Big Moose Bach Fest

Music in the Great North Woods'

Big Moose Bach Fest

Every Labor Day Weekend

With multiple events staged over several days in a variety of locations, this concert series provides a great opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Great North Woods and hear Bach performed by many different artists, on varied instruments of the period. All concerts are performed on original instruments.

Big Moose Bach Fest Archives

Concerts Every Labor Day Weekend

Concerts will resume in 2022

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2019 SCHEDULE
Saturday-Sunday, August 31-September 1, Labor Day Weekend
Big Moose Bach Fest X, "Bach's Most Loved Cantatas and Motets"
a weekend of pre-concert talks and performances
No charge, donations accepted
Medallion Opera House, Gorham Town Hall

Saturday afternoon @ 3:00 pm
Bach Cantatas BWV 54 "Wiederstehe doch"
BWV 82 "Ich habe genug" and
Motet: "Der Geist Hilft"
with soloists Nicholas Garza, countertenor and David Grogan, baritone

Saturday evening @ 7:00 pm
Lecture by Christopher Anderson
followed by a short reception with madrigals
by the lesser known and celebrated minimally, PDQ Bach

Sunday afternoon @ 3:00 pm
Bach Cantata BWV 53 "Schlage doch"
Motet "Jesu, meine Freude" and
BWV 131 "Aus der Tiefen"
under the direction of Susan Ferré
original instruments and singers

2018 SCHEDULE
Friday-Sunday, August 31-September 2, Labor Day Weekend
Big Moose Bach Fest IX, "Bach finally meets Handel"

Friday, August 31 @ 5:30-6:30 pm
Opening Reception
with a short reading/play "Scenes from Handel's Boyhood"
7:00 - 9:00 pm historic film, "The Great Mr. Handel" 1942
Randolph Town Hall, 130 Durand Rd, Randolph NH

Saturday, September 1 @ 3:30 pm
Bach Chamber music and Motet
with Nelli Jabotinsky, Charles Lang and singers
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park St, Gorham NH

Saturday, September 1 @ 7:30 pm
Jose Lezcano, guitar soloist playing works of Bach
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park St, Gorham NH

Sunday, September 2 @ 2:30 pm
Full length performance of Handel's "Messiah: An Oratorio", 1742
under the direction of Susan Ferré
original instruments and 16 singers
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park St, Gorham NH

2017 SCHEDULE
Saturday, September 2
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park St, Gorham, NH

Sunday, September 3 @ 4:30 pm
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park St, Gorham, NH

2016 SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept 2 @ 7:30 pm
a Ferre-Lang family Bach concert
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2 High Street, Berlin, NH

Saturday, Sept 3 @ 4:00 pm
Harpsichordist Christa Rakich playing the Goldberg Variations
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park Street, Gorham, NH

Sunday, Sept 4 @ 4:00 pm
Choral Concert, directed by Susan Ferré
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park Street, Gorham, NH

2014 SCHEDULE
Friday, August 29 @ 7:30 pm
Reception and Lecture by Quentin Faulkner.
"Anna Amalia of Prussia : her crucial role in the cultivation and propagation of JS Bach"
Randolph Town Hall, 130 Durand Road, Randolph, NH

Saturday, August 30 @ 2:30 pm
Organ works and Solo Cantatas
David Grogan, Nicolas Garza, and Lucy Tamez Creech, soloists,
in the Coffee Cantata and Wedding Cantata, BWV 202
St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts, 155 Emery, Berlin, NH

Saturday, August 30 @ 7:30 pm
Chamber Music
Triple concerto, BWV 1044, for flute, violin and harpsichord,
with Andrea LeBlanc, Ellen Lovelace, and Christa Rakich
Gorham Town Hall, Medallion Opera House, 20 Park Street, Gorham, NH

Sunday, August 31 @ 4:30 pm
Solo Cantata 170: Vergnugte ruh,
Nicolas Garza, countertenor;
Trauer Ode, BWV 198,
Susan Ferré director
Gorham Town Hall, Medallion Opera House, 20 Park Street, Gorham, NH

2013 SCHEDULE
Friday, August 30 @ 7:30 pm
Audio-visual Tour of Bach's Organ Music
Quentin and Mary Murrell Faulkner, opening reception.
Randolph Town Hall, 130 Durand Road, Randolph, NH

Saturday, August 31 @ 2:30 pm
Brandenburg 4, Bach Solo Cantata 56:  Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen,
David Grogan, baritone, and organ works, Susan Ferré, organist.
St. Kieran's Community Center for the Arts, 155 Emery, Berlin, NH

Saturday, August 31 @ 7:30 pm
Bach solo works for clavichord, Well Tempered Clavier, Book I, Preludes and Fugues,
Christa Rakich, clavichordist.
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park Street, Gorham, NH

Sunday, September 1 @ 4:30 pm
Telemann Paris Quartet and Trauerkantate: Du aber Daniel gehe hin; Bach Mass in A Major,
soloists, chorus, period instruments
under the direction of Susan Ferré.
Medallion Opera House, 20 Park Street, Gorham, NH

2012 SCHEDULE
August 31 @ 7:30 pm
From The Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach,
Miranda Bergmeier, soprano, and Susan Ferré, harpsichord and organ,
followed by the screening of an historic film,
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Berlin, NH

September 1 @ 10:00 am
Quentin Faulkner, Lecturer and Bach Scholar
recent publication of Adlung,
with audio-visuals from Bach's homeland,
Randolph Town Hall, Randolph

September 1 @ 2:30 pm
Brandenburg Concerto #5 and Leipzig Chorals,
Christa Rakich with original instruments, harpsichord and organ,
St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts, Berlin

September 1 @ 7:30 pm
Sonatas for solo violin and viola da gamba with harpsichord obligato
"Amore Traditore,"
with David Grogan, bass,
Medallion Opera House, Gorham Town Hall, Gorham

September 2 @ 4:30 pm
Solo Cantata "Widerstehe doch,"
Michael Hawn, tenor,
Choral Works, Cantata 106, Actus Tragicus: "Gottes Zeit",
with soloists, original instruments,
Medallion Opera House, Gorham Town Hall, Gorham

2011 SCHEDULE
September 3 @ 10:00 am
Lecture on Bach and Math with Victor Hill
Randolph Town Hall, 130 Durand Road, Randolph, NH

September 3 @ 2:30 pm
Master Organ Series
with Christa Rakich and Peter Sykes,
"Clavierubung III" organ and harpsichord,
Hook and Hastings organ
St. Kieran Community Center for the Arts, 155 Emery St., Berlin, NH

September 3 @ 7:30 pm
Concert of chamber music, solo cantatas,
Olympic organ, Kingston harpsichord, original instruments
Gorham Town Hall, 20 Park St., facing the Town Common, Gorham, NH

September 4 @ 4:30 pm
Concert of Choral works,
original instruments, Bedient and Olympic organs
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2 High Street (at Main), Berlin, NH

2010 SCHEDULE
September 4 @ 4:00 pm & 7:30 pm
Susan Ferré, Christa Rakich, multiple harpsichords;
Charles Lang, viola da gamba, violoncello;
with period instruments, singers, etc.
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Berlin, NH,

September 5 @ 4:00 pm
Master Organ Series: Christa Rakich,
featuring the works of Bach for organ,
The Randolph Church, Randolph, NH,

September 5 @ 7:30 pm
Concert Cantatas, choral works,
Susan Ferré, conducting singers and orchestra of period instruments,
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Berlin, NH,

What are people saying about Big Moose Bach Fest?

(Quotes pooled from various social media sources)

"One of the incredible gifts you have is how you are able to blend amateurs and professionals, instruments and voices into a seamless garment of sound! To watch you with the performers was to witness one single organism produce something we can only call sublime!"

"Where in the world would we ever be able to see the impeccable virtuoso performance of an artist, completely free from affectation, on an exquisite medium, of the 'Goldberg Variations?'"

"…so grateful to have had the opportunity to witness consummate artistry this past unforgettable weekend! There is so much to rave about, something really special to move and excite us every one of the three programs. We were also moved to see Charley and your beautiful son performing with you!"

"What a weekend you gave all the fortunate members of the fine audiences who attended your concerts! It is impossible to mention many of the highpoints since they were so numerous... The festival keeps getting better every year—in repertoire and performance. We were all blown away by the end of the A Major Mass by the cumulative power and excitement of the music!"

"Sunday was so wonderful, I have not been so moved in a long long time-- it was a sacred and inspiring evening. Thank you with all my heart---"

"We were applauding loudly Sunday afternoon and it was so beautiful I didn’t want to end – We were uplifted by it all – enjoyed all the concerts. Great job!"