J.R.A.C.

The James River Arts Council
(formerly The Scottsville Council for the Arts)

J. S. Bach's "Coffee Cantata"


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Join the James River Arts Council on Wednesday, April 22, for an evening of music featuring J. S. Bach's "Coffee Cantata" in an updated English translation by music scholar Hugh MacDonald. The cantata is one of Bach's rare secular works describing in hilarious fashion the struggle between a young girl and her father over her addiction to coffee, the brew that had become "all the rage" in 1730's Leipzig. Bach explores the hypocrisy of the father, "Grind," who enjoys his regular tastes of wine, while warning his daughter, "Latte," of the dangers of her compulsive behavior. Students from James Madison University's School of Music will perform the cantata in an ensemble consisting of strings, harpsichord and voice. Translator Hugh MacDonald will play harpsichord and conduct. The concert is free and open to the public; donations to the James River Arts Council will be accepted. Save the date: Wednesday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Scottsville Presbyterian Church, Valley and Bird Streets. A reception will follow the concert.