Tuesdays With Thomas

Tuesdays With Thomas is a weekly web series of in-depth discussion with Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director and Conductor Thomas W. Douglas on Bach Choir performances of the past, present, and future.

Have a question for Thomas?  Write to us at info@bachpgh.org 

February 2, 2021

Tuesdays with Thomas:  An Overture and Spiritual

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares a choral arrangement of the overture from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, and Ezekiel Saw the Wheel, an African American spiritual by William L. Dawson, both sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

January 5, 2021

Tuesdays with Thomas: Make your garden grow!

Artistic Director Thomas Douglas wishes you a happy new year with Leonard Bernstein’s Make Our Garden Grow from Candide, and the uplifting African American spiritual, He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands, both performed by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

December 22, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Handel’s Messiah

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares holiday greetings and two pieces from George Frideric Handel’s Messiah: For Unto Us a Child Is Born, and Hallelujah, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

December 8, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas:  O Nata Lux and Ki Mi Tziyon

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas O Nata Lux composed by Morten Lauridsen, and Ki Mi Tziyon arranged by Robert Page, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

November 24, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Gershwin and Waller

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Thomas “Fats” Waller and Embraceable You by George Gershwin, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

November 10, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Two Bach Cantatas

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares two J.S. Bach cantatas from the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh’s 2019 season and answers questions from the October 2020 encore broadcast of Smoke & Steel.

October 27, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Folk songs from around the world

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares two international folk songs sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh: Arirang and Pokpok Alimpako.

October 6, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Songs of Peace

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares two versions of Dona Nobis Pacem from the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh’s 2018 concert Give Us Peace, and invites members of the choir to share what peace means to them.

September 22, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Songs of Hope

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares three selections from The Bach Choir of Pittsburgh’s 2017 HOPE concert: A Ceremony of Carols – Wolcum Yole by Benjamin Britten, Chichester Psalms II by Leonard Bernstein, and He’s All Over me by Alvin Darling, featuring Etta Cox.

September 8, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: The Second Coming by Mohammed Fairouz

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas presents The Second Coming, composed by Mohammed Fairouz and sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh. The lyrics come from the poem of the same name by William Butler Yeats.

September 1, 2020

Tuesdays With Thomas: Leonard Bernstein’s MASS Part 2

This week, Thomas Douglas revisits Leonard Bernstein’s MASS and shares four pieces sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh: Gloria In Excelsis, Trope: Half the People, Trope: I Go On, and Almighty Father. Watch Thomas’ presentation of Leonard Bernstein’s MASS part 1 here

August 24, 2020

Tuesdays With Thomas: Bach’s Magnificat in D Major

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas shares fond memories and three pieces from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat in D Major: the Magnificat, Omnes Generationes, and Sicut Locutus, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh

August 18, 2020

Tuesdays With Thomas: Hamba LuLu – five African folk songs

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas presents a celebration of African folk music including Mangwani Pulele, O Re Mi, Asikha Thali, and Karanga Walking Song, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

 

 

 

August 11, 2020. 

This week, Artistic Director and Conductor Thomas Douglas reflects on the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh’s “French Kiss” concert with pieces by two French composers: the Introit to Fauré’s Requiem and the Introit to Duruflé’s Requiem. Have a question for Thomas to be read in next week’s episode? Write to us at info@bachpgh.org or via Facebook messenger.

August 4, 2020.

Tuesdays with Thomas: Leonard Bernstein’s MASS

This week, Artistic Director & Conductor Thomas Douglas shares excerpts from Leonard Bernstein’s MASS: “a theatre piece for singers, players, and dancers.”  Featured here are Gloria Tibi, Gloria in Excelsis, and God Said from the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh’s memorable 2007 concert. Have a question for Thomas to be read in next week’s episode? Write to us at info@bachpgh.org or via Facebook messenger.

July 28, 2020

Tuesdays With Thomas: two selections from One Voice: Songs of the People

This week, Artistic Director & Conductor Thomas Douglas shares two pieces of music from his first year with the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh and the 2004 concert One Voice: Songs of the People. Regina Coeli by Pietro Mascagani and A Red Red Rose by James Mulholland.

July 21, 2020

Tuesday With Thomas: Vivaldi & Handel REMIXED!

This week, Artistic Director & Conductor Thomas Douglas shares two Bach Choir of Pittsburgh collaborations that put a modern spin on Et In Terra Pax by Antonio Vivaldi and I Will Sing Unto The Lord composed by George Frideric Handel.

 

July 14, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Introit and Kyrie, from Mozart’s Requiem

This week, Artistic Director & Conductor Thomas Douglas shares the Introit and Kyrie from Mozart’s Requiem, sung by the Bach choir of Pittsburgh.

July 7, 2020

Tuesdays With Thomas: Two spirituals to raise the spirits

This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas presents two classic spirituals: “Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho” arranged by Edwin Fissinger, and “I’m Gonna Sing ‘Til The Music Moves in My Heart” composed by Moses Hogan, featuring tenor soloists Jon Erik Schreiber and Byrone Davis, and sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

June 30, 2020

Tuesdays with Thomas: Baba Yetu

This week Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director Thomas Douglas examines Baba Yetu, a lively feast for the ears composed by Christopher Tin.  Enjoy it here and feel free to share your thoughts and comments with us.

June 23, 2020. This week on Tuesdays With Thomas, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director Thomas Douglas discusses the Negro Spiritual and My Lord, What A Mornin’, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, arranged by Harry Burleigh. For more information and to support the Bach Choir, visit www.bachchoirpittsburgh.org.

June 16, 2020. This week on Tuesdays With Thomas, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas talks with Bach Choir of Pittsburgh’s Associate Conductor Jon Erik Schreiber about his work with the choir and a piece of music that he’s particularly fond of.  Have a question for Thomas to be read in next week’s episode? Write to us at info@bachpgh.org or via Facebook messenger.

June 9, 2020. This week, Artistic Director Thomas Douglas leads a frank and timely discussion on racism and the arts with special guests and treasured Pittsburgh artists Charlene Canty and Eugene Perry. Thomas also presents I Dream A World, composed by Connor Koppin, with lyrics from the poetry of Langston Hughes, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh from the February 2020 concert Langston Hughes: Harlem’s Jazz Poet. For more information, and to support the Bach Choir, visit www.bachchoirpittsburgh.org

June 2, 2020. This week with Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director Thomas Douglas, explore two choral arrangements of The Beatles’ most popular tunes, performed by the Bach Choir at their May 2019 concert The Beatles: The Revolutionists.

May 26, 2020. This week, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director Thomas Douglas discusses the life and career of composer George Shearing while examining his choral composition It Was A Lover And His Lass, with lyrics from the works of William Shakespeare, and sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh. From the 2019 concert William Shakespeare: If Music Be The Food Of Love.  Have a question for Thomas to be read in next week’s episode? Write to us at info@bachpgh.org or via Facebook messenger.

May 19, 2020. Today, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director Thomas Douglas, along with guest Polly McQueen, Bach Choir President, invite you to enjoy The Negro Speaks of Rivers, composed by Nancy Galbraith and inspired by the writing of Langston Hughes. From the concert Langston Hughes: Harlem’s Jazz Poet, February 2020, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

May 12, 2020. Today, Artistic Director and Conductor Thomas W. Douglas provides a preview of Frankenstein Reimagined; a new hip-hop, R&B musical accompaniment to the 1931 film Frankenstein, to be performed by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh.

May 5, 2020. This week, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director Thomas W. Douglas invites you to enjoy Give Us Our Peace, composed by Rollo Dilworth and sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, from the concert, Langston Hughes: Harlem’s Jazz Poet.

April 28, 2020.  Bach Choir of Pittsburgh Artistic Director and Conductor Thomas W. Douglas discusses the choral piece “Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred.” Hear it here, sung by the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh from the Fall 2019 concert William Shakespeare: If Music Be The Food Of Love. Have a question for Thomas to be read in next week’s episode? Write to us at info@bachpgh.org or via Facebook messenger.