St. Bart's 2016 Summer Festival Continues with Leos Janacek's Missa in E-Flat

The 22nd annual Summer Festival continues on Sunday, July 17, at 11 am with a performance of Leos Janacek's Missa in E-Flat for choir and organ. Leos Janacek (1854-1928) was a Czech composer, musical theorist, folklorist and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian and Slavic folk music to create an original, modern musical style. His Mass in E flat was composed in 1908 and was intended as a model of Missa Brevis style for his compositions students at the Brno Conservatory. The musical material for this Mass was later incorporated into his monumental Glagolithic Mass, which used the Old Church Slavonic text. St. Bartholomew's Choir will be conducted by William K. Trafka. Jason Roberts will be the organist.

The Summer Festival of Sacred Music takes place each Sunday morning at 11 am at St. Bartholomew's Church during the summer months. At a time when most churches reduce their musical offerings, St. Bartholomew's Church provides outstanding sacred music sung by St. Bartholomew's Choir and Boy and Girl Choristers, two of New York City's most renowned choirs. Works include an array of mass settings from the 15th century to the present embracing a diversity of cultures from around the world. The music is sung as part of the Eucharist or Mass, the liturgical context for which it was composed. All Summer Festival events are free and open to the public.