2025-26 Season starts Sept 28

When does a new year begin? Our calendars say January 1, but our experience says otherwise. Despite the calendar, Labour Day has a better claim to mark the beginning of a new year. Summer holidays end, a new school year begins, and for the performing arts, September marks the beginning of the new season as well. So it seemed appropriate to program one of Bach’s cantatas for New Year’s Day soon after Labour Day.

Spiritus Ensemble’s first performance of its 2025-26 season, on Sunday, September 28, is a Bach Vespers for New Year’s Day. The cantata is number 190, Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied (Sing to the Lord a new song). Bach conceived this cantata on a large scale, scoring it for three groups of instruments: brass (three trumpets plus timpani), winds (three oboes and bassoon), and strings (the usual complement of violins, viola, cello and double bass).

Also on the program will be one of Bach’s magnificent motets, Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden (Praise the Lord all nations).