Berkshire Bach announces next PORTALS event with EUGENE DRUCKER and MICHAEL MARISSEN - January 24 and 25
Great Barrington, January 7, 2025: The Berkshire Bach Society (BBS) presents the third event in its quarterly BBS Portals series with Bach and God: Troubling Voices and distinguished musicologist Michael Marissen at 7pm on Friday, January 24 at the Kellogg Music Center on the campus of Bard College at Simon’s Rock (84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, MA) and 4pm on Saturday, January 25 at The Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College (1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA). The program explores the foundation of Bach’s religious beliefs as well as the social norms of Lutheran Germany and includes readings from Dr. Marissen’s books Bach & God and Bach Against Modernity. In the session he identifies some of the revelations that helped shape his own understanding of Bach over the course of his scholarly career and uses musical examples to illustrate his findings. Artistic Director Eugene Drucker hosts a discussion and audience Q&A with Dr. Marissen as part of the event.
“In our BBS Portals series we look at Bach and his circle from many different perspectives,” said Terrill McDade, Executive Director of the Berkshire Bach Society. “This time we consider an essential and intriguing aspect of Bach’s character—his spiritual life. We know that he created some of the most profound devotional music of any religious canon and yet we don’t often have a chance to examine the environment that produced the man or explore the belief system behind his works. This Portals session gives us the opportunity to do just that, and with a guide in Michael Marissen who is the leading thinker and writer on the subject. We hope fans of Bach, members of the clergy, and others interested in the idea join us in this fascinating exploration and contribute to the discussion.”
Michael Marissen holds a B.A. from Calvin College and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University. He taught music history at Swarthmore College for nearly 30 years and is now an independent scholar working on a variety of projects in the field. Based in New York City, he is the author of 12 books on the music of Bach and other composers.
Join Berkshire Bach, Artistic Director Eugene Drucker, and musicologist Michael Marissen for Bach and God at 7pm on Friday, January 24, at the Kellogg Music Center and 4pm on Saturday, January 25, at The Koussevitsky Arts Center at Berkshire Community College. Tickets: $35 Nonmembers | $30 Berkshire Bach Members. Visit www.berkshirebach.org/events for more information, including tickets and specific venue information.
The Berkshire Bach Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the U.S. tax code and the oldest, continuously operating, membership-based music organization in the Berkshires. Donations to the Society are deductible to the full extent of the law.