GIBBONS O clap your hands
JS BACH Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen (My sighs, my tears), BWV 13

Joanne Wheeler, director of the Earth Space Sustainability Initiative, talks about the urgent work of protecting the surprisingly limited space around our Earth for future generations in this new year edition of Bach, the Universe and Everything.

‘My sighs, my tears can not be counted, when one daily encounters despair and the anguish does not fade’. In this dark-toned cantata Meine Seufzer, meine Tränen (BWV 13), Bach begins with a very human lament, the feeling of hopelessness, and asking the question of where we may find hope for the future.Humans have now made near space so much part of our earthly realm that concerns are rapidly growing about our environmental impact beyond our planetary boundaries. Joanne Wheeler speaks on bringing together global voices from across government, academia, industry and business.

Bach, the Universe and Everything is a concert series with a difference. Across six Sunday morning events, we explore the human desire to understand our place in the cosmos, guided by the work of JS Bach – composer and intergalactic genius – through his 200 cantatas. We invite you to join us on a cosmic journey: each event is built around a Bach cantata and a talk from a guest scientist, writer or broadcaster, alongside choral and instrumental music.

Series music director: Steven Devine