LCMS Worship Institute: S1Ep17. Bach Teaches the Psalms – Matt Rivers

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The church cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach are a rich treasury of theological commentary. Bach rightly uses Holy Scripture to musically interpret Scripture, allowing listeners to gain insight and clarity to the text. In this presentation, we will examine multiple examples of Bach’s treatment of the Psalms in his compositions. This will enable attendees to improve their understanding of Bach’s theological and catechetical intent and provide a new way of examining Bach’s music.

Bio:

A member of Faith Lutheran Church, Plano, Texas, Mr. Rivers earned a Bachelor of Music from Oberlin College (Trombone) and a Master of Music from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has taught music theory, hymn writing and a seminar on Bach’s choral works at Faith Lutheran High School and has presented on these topics at the Consortium of Classical Lutheran Education (CCLE). Mr. Rivers is a Bach scholar and is currently authoring a Lutheran listener’s guide to the St. Matthew Passion and a commentary on Bach’s church cantatas.