Saint Peter's Choir and Baroque Orchestra present Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata 70, Wachet! Betet! Betet! Wachet! - BWV 70
Easter Mass, 2025
Cantata 70, Wachet! Betet! Betet! Wachet!, BWV 70
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, 1685-1750
Sunday, December 14
11:00 A.M.
Vincent Carr | Conductor
ORCHESTRA
Isabelle Seula Lee & Jimmy Drancsak | Violins
Shelby Yamin | Viola
Serafim Smigelskiy | Cello
Nathaniel Chase | Bass
Steve Marquardt | Trumpet
Remy Libbrecht | Oboe
Raphael Vogl | Organ
VOICES
Samantha Caps | Soprano
Mikki Sodergren | Alto
Jedidiah Rellihan | Tenor
Drew Young | Tenor
Joseph Beutel | Bass
Join us on Sunday morning, December 14, 2025 at 11am for a rare and uplifting musical experience as the Saint Peter's Choir and Baroque Orchestra present Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata 70, Wachet! betet! betet! wachet! (BWV 70) in the context of our regular Advent worship. Originally written for the 26th Sunday after Trinity, this cantata is one of Bach’s most vivid and dramatic works—music that invites us to ponder themes of watchfulness, hope, and the promise of renewal.
The score is filled with striking contrasts: bold trumpet calls, tender arias, expressive recitatives, and grand choral movements that draw the listener into the spiritual urgency of the text. Hearing this music unfold not as a concert piece, but woven into the rhythm of worship—surrounded by prayer, scripture, and community—allows it to speak with a special clarity and power.
The resonance of period instruments, the immediacy of voices in shared space, and the sense of anticipation created by Bach’s dramatic writing all combine to create a moment of great anticipation in this season of Advent. Whether you are a long-time lover of Baroque music or encountering this masterpiece for the first time, the cantata’s message of vigilance and hope is as relevant today as it was nearly 300 years ago.
We warmly invite you to join us for this meaningful and beautiful morning of worship, music, and reflection.