Bach Choir of Bethlehem


The Bach Choir of Bethlehem is the oldest Bach choir in the United States. Dating back "to Colonial times and to the Moravians who settled Bethlehem in 1712," according to the choir's archives, it was officially founded in 1898 by Central Moravian Church organist John Frederick Wolle, and was established at roughly the same time as Bethlehem Steel, which first began operations in 1899.
Based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the choir has toured internationally, performing at the Royal Albert Hall, the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, and the Herkulessaal in the Munich Residenz. It has also performed at such American venues as Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center, has recorded with the BBC Proms and on the Dorian and Analekta labels, and hosts the world's longest-running Bach festival.

History

Founded in 1898 by Central Moravian Church organist John Frederick Wolle in 1898, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem brought musicians together from the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania area to study the Mass in B Minor written by Johann Sebastian Bach. This choir is credited with having given the American premiere of Bach's complete Mass on March 27, 1900. Following that premiere performance, the choir then also delivered the first complete performance in America of Bach's Christmas Oratorio in 1901.
In 1914, the Bach Choir's conductor, J. Frederick Wolle, was described by the Harrisburg Telegraph as "the foremost present-day student of Bach" in its coverage of the ensemble's performance at Bethlehem's ninth Bach festival. In 1921, Philadelphia's Evening Public Ledger described the ensemble as a "famous organization," and noted that its members would perform at that city's Academy of Music on November 6.
Bruce Carey and William Ifor Jones conducted the ensemble from 1933-1938 and 1939-1969, respectively. Greg Funfgeld, a 1976 graduate of Westminster Choir College, is the choir's current artistic director and conductor, a position he has held since 1983. Under his leadership, the choir has expanded its concertizing from annual performances at the Bethlehem Bach Festival to a year-round series of 31 concerts, has released 12 recordings, and has been involved with the production of two films, performed together for BW's 75th anniversary of the festival. These two groups have worked together to celebrate the milestones of their festivals. Riemenschneider, founder of the BW festival, was inspired by a 1931 trip to the Bethlehem Bach Festival.
In May of 2019, the choir announced that both its artistic and executive directors would retire within a period of two years. After executive director Bridget George departs in December 2020, artistic director Greg Fungfeld will then leave his post in June 2021.