Liverpool Bach Collective will commence its 5th season in West Derby Parish Church (St Mary's)

THE Collective aims to promote performances of Bach's cantatas in Churches in and around Liverpool, every month, as part of Sunday Evensong or Vespers. Since it was founded 5 years ago, 41 of J S Bach's cantatas have been performed in 23 Churches, from Southport to Sefton Park and Birkenhead to Ince Blundell. There are about 200 of Bach's cantatas in existence, so the Collective won't be short of material for future occasions.

Performances usually draw in good audiences, and there is an increasing body of Bach enthusiasts who follow the Collective's performances from Church to Church. Last season included a Lutheran Gottesdienst, hosted by local Lutheran Pastors, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, with Bach's Reformation Cantata, and a performance of the St John Passion, due to be repeated in March 2019.

The line up is usually 8 singers with around a dozen players, generally strings, oboes and organ, and more musicians when the music demands it; the September performance includes:- 3 trumpets and timpani, for example. The Collective also has its own little pipe organ, which it takes from Church to Church.

The Collective is directed by Philip Duffy (who was for many years Master of the Music at Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral). He strongly believes that for full effect the cantatas need to be performed in the context of an act of worship (which is what Bach composed them for, of course). So the cantatas chosen are always based on the readings of the day in the Church where the performance takes place.

The next performance will be held at West Derby Parish Church, on Sunday, 9 September 2018, at 6.00pm.

For more information and tickets call Duffy on:- 07968 594 196 or go to:- LiverpoolBach.Com.

Letters to Editor:- "Where have all the pigeons gone?"

"I have spotted that over last few days most of the pigeons have vanished? It has been made more obvious to me as the pigeon that used to pop into my shop every day, for the last 2 years has also vanished. I don't normally like them, but miss that pigeon. Recently we have seen lots of them, as well as seagulls but nearly all have suddenly vanished. We still have some flying round, but not as many as normal. It is extremely strange... Have any of your readers spotted it as well or is it just me?" Local shop owner, Southport Town Centre.  Please email your thoughts about this to:-  News24@SouthportReporter.Com.