March 17, 2026 • 40 mins
The Bach Choir of Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, has been inspiring and enriching audiences through the transformative music of Johann Sebastian Bach since 1898.
In this Bach Talk episode, host Ron Klemm and The Bach Society of Saint Louis' Music Director and Conductor A. Dennis Sparger sit down with the Bach Choir of Bethlehem’s Executive Director Leela Breithaupt to explore the rich heritage, enduring impact and vibrant future of this historic organization.
It’s no wonder their remarkable legacy caught the attention of Ron and Dennis at the most recent Chorus America conference.
View the Bach Talk Show Notes here.
Learn more about The Bach Society of Saint Louis at bachsociety.org.
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Ron Klemm (00:00):
This is Bach Talk.
Leela Breithaupt (00:04):
I think that the, there's an uplifting
message in Bach's work.
There's a spiritual quality to themessage of his cantatas and which
texts he chose to set in which ways.
It's a resonance I thinkin the people who listen.
(00:42):
You don't have to knowanything about Bach.
You don't have to know anythingabout the biblical texts.
You are just moved by what you'rehearing sometimes to joy and laughter,
(01:14):
sometimes to tears.
Ron Klemm (01:15):
You are hearing the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and a portion
of “O Mensch, bewein dein sunde Gross,”—“O man, bewail thy sins so great”.
The chorus that concludes partone of Johan Sebastian Bach's St.
Matthew Passion, Christopher Jacksonled the Choir and the Bach Festival
(01:37):
Orchestra in that recent concert.
The voice we heard was that ofLeela Breithaupt, executive Director
of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
And if you think The Bach Society of SaintLouis is proud of its 85 year history,
consider this the Bethlehem Bach Choir'slegacy spans more than a century and
(02:01):
a quarter having been founded in 1898.
Hello and welcome to Bach Talk.
(02:22):
I'm Ron Klemm.
A few months ago, we at The Bach Societyof Saint Louis, visited the 2025 Chorus
America Conference here in St. Louis.
And during that conference over thespan of several days, Bach Society
music director, and conductor, DennisSparger and I, among others, had
the wonderful and unique opportunityto talk to many prominent figures
(02:45):
in the field of choral music.
You've already heard severalof those conversations in
previous episodes of Bach Talk.
Certainly one of, if not the longest,running choral traditions in this
hemisphere is the Bethlehem Bach Choir,and it was such a joy for Dennis and
I to sit down with their engagingrepresentative at the conference in
(03:07):
the lobby of the Hyatt Regency at theArch here in St. Louis, and to compare
notes with an organization whose epictenure and longstanding reputation is
unparalleled Leela Breithaupt, ExecutiveDirector of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
(03:28):
Welcome to the 2025 Conference ofChorus America and to St. Louis.
What a thrill to have you here.
Leela Breithaupt (03:35):
Thank you, Ron.
Ron Klemm (03:35):
Your first time here?
Leela Breithaupt (03:37):
It's my first time in St. Louis and
we're under the arch, so how.
A. Dennis Sparger (03:40):
Yes.
Yeah.
What a great place to be
Leela Breithaupt (03:42):
How appropriate.
Ron Klemm (03:43):
I, I don't think there's any organization in this country at
least that we have more of a kinshipwith The Bach Society of Saint Louis
and the Bach Choir of Bethlehem becauseof who you are, what you do and this
incredible legacy that you have.
I want to, I want to find outmore about that as we move along.
(04:05):
How did you get involved withthe Bach Choir of Bethlehem?
Leela Breithaupt (04:09):
That's a very good question.
Before I answer that question, I wannatalk a little bit about what it's like
to be this steward of this legacy,because that's how I feel that my
role is, and Christopher Jackson, ourartistic director, feels the same way.
We are all here, just kind oftending this beautiful thing
for the time that we are in it.
(04:29):
And we know that it existed 125years before us and that it will
exist many, many years after us.
So it's quite a privilege tobe in this role at this time.
Ron Klemm (04:40):
Is it a heavy responsibility?
Do you feel that?
Leela Breithaupt (04:43):
Enormously heavy, but not burdensome.
It is a privilege, but it's anenormous responsibility because you
don't wanna mess it up and you wannabe able to provide that impact and
grow the impact on our community andbeyond and so you have to be very
intentional about how you do that.
(05:04):
Honoring the traditions in thehistory while still at the same
time looking forward into providingimpact for everyone into the future.
Ron Klemm (05:13):
Well said.
Back to the question, how didyou get involved with this group?
Leela Breithaupt (05:18):
Well, I was a performing flutist for about 25 years
on solo chamber music orchestral,and I was doing that in the United
States and in Europe and in Germany.
My husband is German and so I wastraveling a lot to Germany and
performing there while our familywas there in the summer times.
(05:38):
I decided that I wanted to have a biggerchallenge in my life, and I don't mean
to put down being a performing musicianbecause it is a very noble thing to
do, but I wanted a bigger challengeand to provide more of an impact.
A. Dennis Sparger (05:55):
Well, you found it.
Leela Breithaupt (05:56):
Yeah.
So I was talking with, one of mydaughter's, daughter's friend's fathers,
and he said, well, you should do an MBAbecause then you can do anything you want.
You don't have to decide right nowwhat you wanna do and I thought about
it for a minute and I thought, well, Ihaven't had calculus since 12th grade.
I went to music school, sowhat am I gonna do with it?
I mean, how am I gonna do an MBA?
(06:18):
But it did, didn't turnout to be that hard.
I went and I got the MBA and thenI thought, well, I'll work in the
tech field for a little while.
'cause I think that's very exciting.
Most of my Indian families in thetech fields or in science industries.
And that
it wasn't fulfilling to me in theway that I had hoped it would be.
And so I was looking to provide really,I wanted to get into nonprofit and
(06:42):
into leadership of nonprofits where Ifelt that I could make the most impact.
A. Dennis Sparger (06:46):
And find a connection with your first passion.
Leela Breithaupt (06:48):
Yes.
So what happened is when I, I becameaware of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem's
search, it seemed like all of myentire life was leading to this point.
Being fluent in German, being a flutistwho loves Bach, being interested in
(07:11):
the history and the culture, and ofthe settlers of the United States.
The Moravians who founded Bethlehem.
I'm interested in all of those thingsand so it just felt like the natural
place for me to be, and I think thatthe Bach Choir felt the same way so it
is really a perfect place for me to be.
A. Dennis Sparger (07:32):
And they had an opening at the perfect time.
Leela Breithaupt (07:34):
They did and I was very lucky.
I had a year overlap with GregFunfgeld, the artistic director
and conductor, the sixth one inthe history of the Bach Choir.
Ron Klemm (07:44):
That's shocking.
Leela Breithaupt (07:45):
That was formed in 1898.
Ron Klemm (07:48):
That's shocking.
Leela Breithaupt (07:48):
So Christopher Jackson is the seventh artistic director and
conductor of the Bach Choir Bethlehem.
So I was very fortunate to have oneyear overlap during COVID with Greg,
and it was tremendously helpful to me.
I learned from, you know,
Ron Klemm (08:06):
a master.
Leela Breithaupt (08:07):
Yeah.
From the master.
And I also had a two week overlapwith my predecessor Bridget George,
which I'm immensely grateful for.
So I was really well preparedto take on this mantle and then
to share that with Christopheras he came in at the next year.
Ron Klemm (08:26):
You mentioned a couple of things that we could spend
several episodes on, but let'sstart with the whole history of and
legacy of the Bethlehem Bach Choir.
We know it goes back intoa previous century or two,
but what is the foundation?
How did it start?
You mentioned the Moravians, how didit start and, and how has it changed?
Leela Breithaupt (08:48):
So, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem started in 1898 when
the organist and music director ofthe Moravian Church in Bethlehem.
His name was J. Fred Walle.
That's how we pronounce it now.
But, of course, back in theday, they would've said Walle.
Right?
And I know one of hisdescendants and he says, Walle.
Ron Klemm (09:12):
Oh, wow.
Leela Breithaupt (09:13):
So, he had the idea that he wanted to go to Berkeley,
California in the end of the 18hundreds, the president and CEO of
Bethlehem Steel, Charles Schwab, wantedto have an orchestra, a band, a choir.
And so he went to to Berkeley and he saidto J. Fred Walle, if you come back, I
(09:39):
and my executive board will personallyguarantee any shortfalls that you have.
And that became the basis of ourguarantor program, which supports
the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
We now have more than 500
Ron Klemm (09:52):
Wow.
Leela Breithaupt (09:53):
guarantors.
And they're not solely responsible, butit's a really wonderful support network.
Ron Klemm (09:59):
It's a foundation.
Leela Breithaupt (09:59):
It's a foundation.Yes, it is.
A. Dennis Sparger (10:01):
That you can build on.
Leela Breithaupt (10:02):
And singing is in the bones of Moravians.
They, if you've ever been to a Moravianservice, and I have been, when the
Reverend Hopeton Clennon passed last year.
We had a, a full church there and itwas like the rooftop was gonna come
offwith everybody singing together.
(10:25):
That's the tradition that the BachChoir of Bethlehem comes from.
Their most important thingsthat they brought over in the 17
hundreds were tools to build houses.
Their music instruments, they broughtinstrument, they brought their
trombones for their trombone Choir.
They brought music, which we stillhave in the Moravian archives and,
(10:45):
you know, that that was an essentialpart of who they were and who their
society was at that time speaksvolumes and that set another part of
the foundation of our organization.
Ron Klemm (10:57):
Where does Bach come into all that?
Leela Breithaupt (11:00):
Yeah, so they, they were very involved with singing the
music of the time and in 1850 it wasthe Mendelssohn revival of Bach, so I
believe that some of the scores cameover to Bethlehem with the Moravians
(11:22):
and at least the interest came over.
So the Bach Choir of Bethlehem wasthe, was the first organization to
sing the B minor mass in 1900 atCentral Moravian Church, which is
across the street from my office.
Ron Klemm (11:37):
Wow.
Leela Breithaupt (11:38):
It's incredible.
It's an incredible feeling to,to be a part of that legacy.
Ron Klemm (11:44):
Obviously you do Bach, but do you only do Bach?
Leela Breithaupt (11:47):
Of course not.
Ron Klemm (11:48):
Okay.
Well, don't, some do.
A. Dennis Sparger (11:50):
Is there something that changed at a, at
a certain time in your history?
Leela Breithaupt (11:54):
So the B Minor Mass was the Bach Choir's only
performance of the whole year andevery year for many, many, many years.
Yeah.
At at the May Festival.
At the, at Bethlehem Bach Festival.
People would come fromall over the country.
These guarantors spread all over thecountry, and so people would come
(12:14):
and it was like a family reunion.
Picnics, parties on the lawnoutside Packer Memorial Chapel
on Lehigh University's campus.
We've been singing there since the Bminor mass, since I, I believe it's 1914.
So the longstanding relationshipwith Lehigh University, at some
point, I believe it was Ifor Jones.
(12:36):
He was the artistic director and I thinkthat he brought in chamber music, the idea
of chamber music and orchestral music.
Because of course, the Philadelphiaorchestra was playing for the, for the B
Minor Mass concerts for many, many years.
Ron Klemm (12:52):
Oh, incredible.
Yes.
Leela Breithaupt (12:53):
And I think that it be out of that came the idea to
do the Ifor Jones Chamber concert.
And that was the firstthing that got added.
And then Greg Funfgeld, he reallywanted to expand the impact of what
we were doing within our community.
So he created Bach to School, which is ourmusic education program in the schools,
(13:17):
an assembly program in the schools.
He created the, thefamily concert he created.
So we then we starteddoing Christmas concerts.
There, there's a whole communityengagement portion, an education portion
that Greg felt strongly about, and hegot the backing from the board and so we.
Expanded what we do into whatis now 40 concerts a year.
Ron Klemm (13:42):
Oh, that's, well that's amazing.
I mean,
A. Dennis Sparger (13:45):
Well, we certainly can see some parallels.
Ron Klemm (13:47):
Yeah.
A. Dennis Sparger (13:47):
Between your organization and our own.
Leela Breithaupt (13:49):
You know, it's, it's such a gift to the community.
People who don't know anything about Bachcome to these concerts and they are just.
Blown away.
Transported to another place, anothertime and your brain starts making
connections between something biblical.
I mean, because it really, itstarts with the biblical stories.
A. Dennis Sparger (14:10):
It certainly does.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (14:11):
But there's such a through line to what
we're going through today.
The division and thestrife and the isolation.
And the redemption and and thecommunity struggling together.
I think that that's the place thatwe really can provide a lot of value.
A. Dennis Sparger (14:27):
We have something to offer.
Ron Klemm (15:28):
From their 1998 recording of the complete Mass in B Minor by Bach.
We heard just a portion of the “Etresurrexit," the Bach Choir of Bethlehem,
and the Bach Festival Orchestra wasconducted there by Greg Funfgeld,
who now serves as music directoremeritus after nearly a 40 year tenure
(15:51):
as music director and conductor.
Just ahead more of our conversationwith Leela Breithaupt, executive
director of the Bethlehem Bach Choir.
At the 2025 Conference of ChorusAmerica here in St. Louis with Bach
Society Music Director Dennis Sparger.
I'm Ron Klemm, and this is Bach Talk.
(16:26):
With the incredible history of singingin your area, do you have audience
participation in some of your concerts?
Leela Breithaupt (16:37):
As part of our festival, we have choral sings and there before
Bach at 4 concerts and the B minor mass.
They are for everyone out on the lawnto come together and sing Bach in
four part Harmony, it is tremendousbecause the Choir's there also.
So people are surroundedand enveloped by the Choir.
(17:00):
They don't feel self-conscious.
We also do this at our Christmas concerts.
We sing, you know, in German together,silent Night and four part harmony
with the descants and everything.
Ron Klemm (17:09):
Sure.
Leela Breithaupt (17:10):
But that kind of audience, I wouldn't even
call it audience participation.
What it is, is people singingtogether and coming together.
And that puts them in the mind spacewhere they are curious and they're open
and ready for the concert after that.
So it's kind of like an appetizer.
A. Dennis Sparger (17:31):
Preparation.
And you, I know you have a, a, a long listof wonderful soloists that you bring in.
Leela Breithaupt (17:38):
We do.
A. Dennis Sparger (17:38):
'cause we've engaged many of those same people
Leela Breithaupt (17:40):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (17:41):
As well.
Leela Breithaupt (17:41):
And, and I think with the changing of the guard and the
artistic director we have, we're seeingsome new faces now and developing new
relationships, which is delightful.
And we haven't forgotten our old friends.
There are so many of them (17:53):
Rosa Lamoreaux.
And, we had, uh, BillSharp, and Ben Butterfield.
I mean, all Danny Taylor in Toronto.
They're such excellent artistsand I know that you have had the
opportunity to have them as well.
Oh, we've had several.
It just enriches the performances so much.
(18:16):
Yes.
And I think on this recording thisMendelssohn Bach recording, we had
Dann Coakwell as the evangelist.
A. Dennis Sparger (18:23):
Oh, wow.
Leela Breithaupt (18:24):
And he did a tremendous job.
The,
Ron Klemm (18:26):
that's a tough role,
Leela Breithaupt (18:27):
the storytelling.
Ron Klemm (18:28):
Yeah, that's exactly what he is
Leela Breithaupt (18:30):
storytelling.
And if you look at the photographsfrom that live recording,
you see it in his face.
You see, the the tension and theemotion and, and the, the angst.
I mean, just.
He exuded it and it came outin his, in his singing as well.
A. Dennis Sparger (18:51):
Last Saint Matthew.
Leela Breithaupt (18:52):
He's fantastic and Sherezade Panthaki and Meg Bragle.
I mean, I could go on and on.
There's, we we're, we're blessed.
We treat them like family when they come.
I mean, we, we really wanteveryone to feel like they're a
part of putting this together.
Everybody is an integral part ofputting it together from, you know, the.
(19:15):
Second altos to the bass player in theorchestra, to the soprano soloists, to
the production staff and our volunteers.
We have such excellent volunteers who comeand do ushering and treat people well.
Yeah, it's a standard.
A. Dennis Sparger (19:31):
Are the orchestra players all in town?
Leela Breithaupt (19:34):
No.
No.
We bring them, we bring themfrom out of town as well.
We have some in town players and we bring.
Our concert master is Liz Field.
She lives in Washington DC.
A. Dennis Sparger (19:43):
So then you have to house them as well?
Leela Breithaupt (19:45):
We have to house them in hotels, yes.
Yeah.
A. Dennis Sparger (19:48):
And 415 or 440?
Leela Breithaupt (19:50):
It's 440.
They're on modern instruments.
I'm glad you asked that.
Liz, yes.
Ron Klemm (19:55):
I'm sure everyone understands that, for those that
A. Dennis Sparger (19:58):
it's the tuning, it's a tuning issue.
That at the time of Bach, their standardpitch, which was not standardized.
Ron Klemm (20:06):
Right?
Right.
That's the key,
A. Dennis Sparger (20:08):
was lower, like a half step lower than what's used today.
Leela Breithaupt (20:11):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (20:11):
Since what about the 1930s it's been standardized through
much of the world that, uh, the pitcha will be 440 vibrations per second.
Which is just fine, except thatsometimes Bach writes rather high notes.
Ron Klemm (20:28):
You think?
Leela Breithaupt (20:28):
Very true and it, it's a problem if you have the blessing
slash curse of having perfect pitch.
Ron Klemm (20:35):
Oh yes.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (20:36):
So, yeah, but what is wonderful to see right now.
That Liz Field is as in demand as amodern violinist as a baroque violinist.
Ron Klemm (20:46):
Really?
Leela Breithaupt (20:46):
So she does both.
She's a professional in both fields, andwhat she's doing is she's bringing the
historical performance practice to ourorchestra members on modern instruments.
Yeah.
So it's really kind of like a niche field.
A. Dennis Sparger (21:01):
Yeah.
We're doing the same thing.
Leela Breithaupt (21:02):
Yeah.
And I love it.
It's, I, they did a piece by Mufaand she had them play chin off, and I
thought I was going to just be in heaven.
It was such a wonderful feeling.
A. Dennis Sparger (21:12):
Now, did you get to go back and play with them?
Leela Breithaupt (21:14):
No, I've never actually played with them, but I was
listening and I was really enjoying it.
Greg and I have played a couple concertstogether on a private basis, but we, we've
not done any public concerts together.
Ron Klemm (21:27):
Ah, and, and how is he doing?
Leela Breithaupt (21:28):
He's doing extremely well.
He's, He's just as engaged as ever andhe's like a he, he's like a mentor.
That will always bethere when you need him.
Ron Klemm (21:38):
Your mission talks about inspiring and enriching
people through the transformativepower of J.S. Bach and others.
What does that mean to you?
Leela Breithaupt (21:50):
So when I think of the word transformative, I
think about what it does to yourbody, what it does to your mind.
It takes you from one place andone feeling, and one sensation
and one presence to another.
And I think Bach's music is uniquelyqualified to do that for a lot of
(22:12):
people because he's telling a story.
There is a lot of music that tellsthe story, but Bach is a master of
doing text painting, which is, he istelling the story not only through
the words that he's having peoplesing, but what he's doing with the
oboe or what he's doing in the violin.
(22:33):
For example, you know, if he's, iflet's say he's talking about, you
know, ascending something, he'll have.
Somebody go up in the orchestra orhe'll have the voice part go up.
Or he might trick you and have it go downand then you have a different take on it.
And I think that
Ron Klemm (22:51):
he'll flip the script sometimes.
Leela Breithaupt (22:52):
Yes.
Right, right.
And that can be.
You can, You can listen to iton whatever level you want to.
You can be a very, like a Bach nerdand really watch all of that and
A. Dennis Sparger (23:01):
dig through every little thing.
Leela Breithaupt (23:02):
Right and appreciate all of that.
Or you could just let it wash over you.
But it's not lost on you.
I think it still has an impact, evenif you're letting it wash over you.
There's something that
A. Dennis Sparger (23:12):
well said
Leela Breithaupt (23:13):
touches you
A. Dennis Sparger (23:13):
still connects.
Leela Breithaupt (23:14):
That's right.
(23:41):
There's a 1951 State Department film.
So the State Department came to Bethlehemand filmed the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
Ron Klemm (23:53):
In 1951?
Leela Breithaupt (23:53):
1951 and the reason that they filmed the Bach Choir of
Bethlehem was to tell the story ofacquire as a model of democracy.
Ron Klemm (24:03):
What?
Leela Breithaupt (24:04):
They sent it to Eastern Europe in a time when,
you know, was post World War 2.
They were trying to, they weretrying to influence democracies
to form in, in the world.
They saw this Choir that wasa community Choir with people.
You know, It didn't matter whatyour station was in life, right?
(24:25):
You left that at the door.
It didn't matter what yourbeliefs were, what your political,
you know, convictions were.
All of that's left and you justconnect and that that provides
really the the rock of the society.
Ron Klemm (24:41):
It's foundational.
Leela Breithaupt (24:41):
It's foundational of the society, and that you're
all equal in the music making.
I, I think that that's veryspecial in a community Choir, that
there's not a hierarchy in it.
A. Dennis Sparger (24:53):
And also you're willing to give up some
of your own autonomy or freedom.
Leela Breithaupt (24:58):
Right.
A. Dennis Sparger (24:59):
In order to be part of something that's more beautiful and more
communicative, you know, to, to everyone.
It reaches out to so many people.
Leela Breithaupt (25:06):
Yeah.
And, and.
What the film does beautifully, and Ican it's, it's on, actually on available
on through a link on our website.
We have a new archival digitizedsection of our website of archival
materials that we digitized.
So what happens, it's, theyfollow some protagonists in their
professions into the Choir, andthen they follow them back home.
(25:29):
And you see the impact of whatsinging together in the Bach Choir of
Bethlehem has on their personal lives.
So it's, it's really beautiful.
You have a Bethlehem Steel marketingexec, you know, greeting one of
the people who works in the fires,basically in the steel stacks.
Ron Klemm (25:47):
Of course.
A. Dennis Sparger (25:47):
Yes.
Leela Breithaupt (25:48):
You know, It, it's incredible.
That's transformative.
That's what we wanna keep doing.
And that's why we cannever cease to exist.
Regardless of whatever, youknow, challenges we have.
We are, we feel so strongly about ourmission to impact people and provide
these transformative experiencesfor people that I, I just, I can't
(26:13):
see a way that we could ever stop.
A. Dennis Sparger (26:15):
And because this is such significant music i,
I think we can't be misled by everynewest thing that comes along.
Leela Breithaupt (26:23):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (26:24):
Maybe little samples of new repertoire and new ideas, but
we can't veer very far, you know,from what our mission is all about.
Leela Breithaupt (26:33):
One of the things that Christopher's doing that I find
fascinating christopher started aChristmas Carol project where we
were having, uh, composers we'recommissioning composers to write a carol
every Christmas for the Bach Choir.
And the first year was ourboard president, who is
actually a very good composer.
Oh.
He wrote the first, the first caroland Kyle Smith wrote the second one.
(26:55):
So he composed a newly composedcarol for that concert.
It was an incredible concert.
Now a big part of your
A. Dennis Sparger (27:01):
job is connecting with your audience members, your
donors And I would would imagineyou also have to make the ask.
Leela Breithaupt (27:10):
Yes.
And I have a developmentdirector, as well.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:12):
As well?
Leela Breithaupt (27:13):
And, and, and we have Christopher, so we are all in.
It's not hard to ask people tosupport something you believe in.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:20):
That's true.
Leela Breithaupt (27:20):
And it's not hard to ask people to not give you money.
They're not giving you money.
They're giving money to the organization.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:27):
Yes.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (27:28):
So that everyone can, still
A. Dennis Sparger (27:30):
can benefit from it,
Leela Breithaupt (27:30):
enjoy this and benefit from it.
So that's something thatI find I can believe in.
And I don't, I, you know, I. Ijust think it's part of who we are.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:39):
You can ask without apology.
Leela Breithaupt (27:41):
You can ask without apology and you can ask,
knowing that you're going to begood stewards of their money.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:46):
Yes.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (27:47):
Which is something that I can do something about.
You know, we, I can, I can make surethat we're fiscally responsible, that
we're doing the strategic planning,and that we're following our plan.
That's something that I feelthat is in my control right now.
And that's to go back to thebeginning of the conversation.
That's where I, I take my passionfor the music and the skills that I
(28:09):
learned in the MBA and I take it andI, it's almost like paying it forward.
A. Dennis Sparger (28:13):
You move forward with it.
Yes.
Yeah.
Ron Klemm (28:47):
A choral from the Passion according to St. Matthew
by Johann Sebastian Bach.
In the edition by Felix Mendelssohn, theBach Choir of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,
conducted by Christopher Jackson.
Just ahead, one final portion of ourconversation with Lee Le Bright Hop,
Executive Director of the Bach Choirof Bethlehem from our visit at the
(29:11):
2025 Conference of Chorus Americahere in St. Louis, along with Bach
Society Music Director Dennis Sparger.
I'm Ron Klemm, and this is Bach Talk.
(29:34):
One of the things that I've alwayssaid about The Bach Society of Saint
Louis, and maybe it's true for youtoo, is that we are able to do things
that other organizations can't.
But that's because of who Bachwas, what he believed, and the
texts that we present are, are, arematters of life and death and a lot
(29:56):
of people don't want to go there.
A. Dennis Sparger (29:58):
Don't wanna deal with that.
Ron Klemm (29:58):
That's a tough, that's a tough nut to crack for a lot of folks.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (30:01):
Yeah.
Ron Klemm (30:02):
You find that as well?
Leela Breithaupt (30:03):
You know, I think that the, there's an
uplifting message in Bach works.
There's a spiritual quality to themessage of his cantatas and, and which
texts he chose to set in which ways.
It's a resonance I think in thepeople who listen and you don't
have to know anything about Bach.
You don't have to know anythingabout the biblical text.
(30:24):
You are just moved by what you'rehearing sometimes to tears.
Sometimes to joy and laughter.
I mean, that's what's so beautifulabout these, these free concerts that
we do where people just walk in thedoor on the second Tuesday of each
month except for December and May.
A. Dennis Sparger (30:40):
Tell us a little bit about the free concerts.
Ron Klemm (30:42):
Please.
Leela Breithaupt (30:42):
Yeah.
So that, that was a series thatGreg Funfgeld he dreamt up.
He wanted
A. Dennis Sparger (30:47):
Now are these like just an organ recital for an hour?
Leela Breithaupt (30:49):
No, no, no.
These are a choir.
Concerts on the second Tuesday ofeach month, except for December and
May we do what we call Bach at noon.
It's Tuesdays at noon.
And it is
a cantata.
Sometimes, it's a solo cantata,but mostly cantatas with choir.
And then another piece or two of chambermusic works of Bach or another composer.
(31:14):
And they are just ourgift to the community.
People come, they come for an upliftingrespite in their day instead of going
to lunch, we have lawyers who comeand just sit and they bask in the
music that's there, it's such a salve.
A. Dennis Sparger (31:32):
Now your choir is very full, about 120 singers?
Leela Breithaupt (31:36):
Right now it's about 120 singers.
Yeah.
Christopher's added some moretenors to fortify our tenor section.
Ron Klemm (31:43):
Send them over.
Leela Breithaupt (31:45):
Yeah.
And they sign up.
A. Dennis Sparger (31:47):
Do they all sing that?
Leela Breithaupt (31:48):
No, they don't all sing.
So it's, it's basically a sign up basedon their availability and their interest.
We usually get, I would sayabout 40, maybe 40 people.
Ron Klemm (32:00):
And they get just one or two rehearsals?
Leela Breithaupt (32:02):
Well they, I don't know how Christopher does that actually, I,
because I don't go to all the rehearsals.
I know that he has extra parts of eachrehearsal when Bach at Noon is coming up
where they, where some people stay longerand I think that they go over those works.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:16):
Well the nice thing about the cantatas is
they're largely for, for soloists.
Leela Breithaupt (32:21):
Right.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:21):
And the chorus may have, you know, the opening piece.
Ron Klemm (32:23):
The chorale.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:24):
Three, four or five minutes and then a chorale at the end.
Leela Breithaupt (32:27):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:28):
If they're lucky, they get something in the middle.
Leela Breithaupt (32:30):
Right.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:30):
So yeah.
It is a little easier for thechorus to be ready for that.
Leela Breithaupt (32:35):
Yes.
And, and our practice is tohire professional soloists
and professional orchestra.
So what Christopher's doing is, is he'sworking with the choir on the chorales,
basically, which I think is not too badif you would wanna do one each month,
and then they have a rehearsal with theorchestra the morning of the concert.
(32:56):
So they, but they're so wellhoned in what they're doing.
They understand what they're doing, thatit comes together really quite seamlessly.
Ron Klemm (33:04):
Well, and it's a great, great tribute to them because this
is, this is not Bethlehem, Germany.
This is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Leela Breithaupt (33:12):
It is.
Ron Klemm (33:12):
And, and so it's a, it's an amazing accomplishment really, to do
that much and to do it consistently well.
Leela Breithaupt (33:19):
Yes.
Our, our what we really feel proudabout is that we are taking people
wherever they are and taking them.
You know, A step furtherin their musicality.
We have a whole endowment fund thatsupports the skill building of the Choir,
and we bring in professional singersto train the Choir in German diction,
(33:42):
we have a German diction specialist.
We had a Russian diction specialistto work with them on the, on the
Rachmaninoff, but also in singingthey, we give them singing lessons as
part of what we want to do for themis, is, is to raise and build their
skills so that they can enjoy theirparticipation in the Choir even more.
A. Dennis Sparger (34:00):
And how often does the full chorus perform throughout the year?
Leela Breithaupt (34:04):
So everything except for Bach at Noon, except for those 10
concerts, the full choir is involved.
Ron Klemm (34:09):
That's dedication.
Leela Breithaupt (34:10):
Yes, yes, yes, it is.
There, there are a bunch of peoplewho come from all walks of life.
And that's something Iwanted to add about how,
Ron Klemm (34:19):
please,
Leela Breithaupt (34:19):
how this Choir began it.
Started with people in the community.Yeah.
They were Moravians who, who wereinvolved, but there were also, you
know, teachers, doctors, steel workers.
Not at that time, but as, as historyprogressed, we had people who
were working in the steel mills.
We had execs at Bethlehem Steel, whichwas the biggest employer, far and wide.
(34:43):
We had, you know, people from allplaces in their lives, and you think,
well, why are they coming together on aMonday night wanting to rehearse Bach?
It changes, you know, it changes you.
So you may come in tired and exhaustedfrom, and stressed out from your
work and thinking of, oh, do Ireally wanna go and stand there for,
(35:05):
you know, two hours and sing Bach?
And you people, they walkout like floating on clouds.
A. Dennis Sparger (35:10):
And as we talked about this morning, it's even
healthy for people to be singing.
Ron Klemm (35:14):
It's rejuvenating.
Leela Breithaupt (35:16):
That is an excellent word.
A. Dennis Sparger (35:17):
So many positive things about it.
Ron Klemm (35:44):
How do you take this incredible legacy of Bach and all of
all that you've put into it over theyears and bring it to a new generation?
Leela Breithaupt (35:55):
I'm so glad you asked that.
We have a Bel Canto youthChoir that is expanding.
We now have 80 childrenin the youth Choir.
Ron Klemm (36:05):
Wow.
Leela Breithaupt (36:05):
And three Choirs.
We're adding another Choir nextyear called Bach Buddies for the
kindergarteners through second graders.
Ron Klemm (36:13):
That's fantastic.
Leela Breithaupt (36:14):
And you know, the idea is that Bach music and singing together is
for everyone from the little ones to the,
Ron Klemm (36:24):
it's universal.
Leela Breithaupt (36:25):
The, it's universal.
We also have a music and hospiceprogram called A Musical Heart.
So we are trying to release,
Ron Klemm (36:34):
Wait, wait.
Hospice program?
Leela Breithaupt (36:35):
Hospice.
Yeah.
Ron Klemm (36:35):
How, how does that work?
Leela Breithaupt (36:38):
The musicians get trained by the hospice organizations
in the hospitals how to interactwith patients and their families,
and they go and they sing or theyplay an instrument just by whatever
they feel that that person needs orthose people need at that moment.
It's not a performance.
It's very interactive and intuitive.
(37:00):
It can be incredibly meaningful.
The, the kind of responsesthat we've seen happen.
People who didn't speak for along time and were basically, you
know, eyes closed, not speaking.
Sat up and started, you know, talking.
Yeah.
It's, It's incredible.
Hearing is the last sense that leaves us.
(37:23):
So sometimes our musicians whoare doing this program have
been actually making music whilesomeone passed and what a gift.
Ron Klemm (37:35):
Well, I was just the,
Leela Breithaupt (37:36):
what a gift
Ron Klemm (37:36):
words were on the tip of my garden.
It is a gift.
Yes.
It's a ministry to people.
Leela Breithaupt (37:41):
It is.
Ron Klemm (37:41):
Regardless of what, what you believe, but what
a, what a tremendous gift.
Thank you for doing that.
Leela Breithaupt (37:46):
So the power, the power of healing.
Yeah.
And uplifting and connection.
You asked, what do I want forthe future of the Bach Choir?
That's what I want.
A. Dennis Sparger (37:55):
That's just a terrific story.
Leela Breithaupt (37:56):
Well, thank you.
Ron Klemm (37:58):
Thank you for paying it forward to us today.
Leela Breithaupt (38:01):
It's been a pleasure to talk with you, Ron.
Ron Klemm (38:03):
Thank you.
Leela Breithaupt (38:03):
And Dennis, thank you so much.
Ron Klemm (38:05):
Leela Breithaupt, executive director of the Bach Choir of
Bethlehem, along with Bach Societyof Saint Louis, music Director Dennis
Sparger from the 2025 Conference ofChorus America in downtown St. Louis.
I'm Ron Klemm, and this is Bach Talk.
(38:47):
More from their 1998 recordingof the complete Mass in B
Minor by Johan Sebastian Bach.
Dona nobis pacem”.
. .Grant us peace.
All of the music on today's episodefeatured the Bach Choir of Bethlehem
and the Bach Festival Orchestra.
You can find these recordings on theirwebsite, which is simply bach.org.
(39:11):
I think Sebastian himselfassigned that web address
that's bach, B-A-C-H dot O-R-G.
Do you enjoy hearing about othercoral ensembles besides The
(39:33):
Bach Society of Saint Louis?
Let us know.
Take a moment right now to contact uswith your question or comment, just go
to bachsociety.org and click on BachTalk under the watch and listen tab.
If you'd rather interact more, sendus an email, bachtalk@bachsociety.org.
We look forward to hearing from you.
(40:03):
Today's episode was edited by IanGilbert, promotional and other assistance
provided as always by Charissa Marciniakand Andie Murphy of Right Relations.
I'm Ron Klemm.
Special thanks to DennisSparger, of course, and to our
friends at Chorus America wherethis conversation took place.
(40:43):
Bach Talk is a registered trademarkof The Bach Society of Saint Louis.
This is Bach Talk.
Leela Breithaupt (00:04):
I think that the, there's an uplifting
message in Bach's work.
There's a spiritual quality to themessage of his cantatas and which
texts he chose to set in which ways.
It's a resonance I thinkin the people who listen.
(00:42):
You don't have to knowanything about Bach.
You don't have to know anythingabout the biblical texts.
You are just moved by what you'rehearing sometimes to joy and laughter,
(01:14):
sometimes to tears.
Ron Klemm (01:15):
You are hearing the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and a portion
of “O Mensch, bewein dein sunde Gross,”—“O man, bewail thy sins so great”.
The chorus that concludes partone of Johan Sebastian Bach's St.
Matthew Passion, Christopher Jacksonled the Choir and the Bach Festival
(01:37):
Orchestra in that recent concert.
The voice we heard was that ofLeela Breithaupt, executive Director
of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
And if you think The Bach Society of SaintLouis is proud of its 85 year history,
consider this the Bethlehem Bach Choir'slegacy spans more than a century and
(02:01):
a quarter having been founded in 1898.
Hello and welcome to Bach Talk.
(02:22):
I'm Ron Klemm.
A few months ago, we at The Bach Societyof Saint Louis, visited the 2025 Chorus
America Conference here in St. Louis.
And during that conference over thespan of several days, Bach Society
music director, and conductor, DennisSparger and I, among others, had
the wonderful and unique opportunityto talk to many prominent figures
(02:45):
in the field of choral music.
You've already heard severalof those conversations in
previous episodes of Bach Talk.
Certainly one of, if not the longest,running choral traditions in this
hemisphere is the Bethlehem Bach Choir,and it was such a joy for Dennis and
I to sit down with their engagingrepresentative at the conference in
(03:07):
the lobby of the Hyatt Regency at theArch here in St. Louis, and to compare
notes with an organization whose epictenure and longstanding reputation is
unparalleled Leela Breithaupt, ExecutiveDirector of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
(03:28):
Welcome to the 2025 Conference ofChorus America and to St. Louis.
What a thrill to have you here.
Leela Breithaupt (03:35):
Thank you, Ron.
Ron Klemm (03:35):
Your first time here?
Leela Breithaupt (03:37):
It's my first time in St. Louis and
we're under the arch, so how.
A. Dennis Sparger (03:40):
Yes.
Yeah.
What a great place to be
Leela Breithaupt (03:42):
How appropriate.
Ron Klemm (03:43):
I, I don't think there's any organization in this country at
least that we have more of a kinshipwith The Bach Society of Saint Louis
and the Bach Choir of Bethlehem becauseof who you are, what you do and this
incredible legacy that you have.
I want to, I want to find outmore about that as we move along.
(04:05):
How did you get involved withthe Bach Choir of Bethlehem?
Leela Breithaupt (04:09):
That's a very good question.
Before I answer that question, I wannatalk a little bit about what it's like
to be this steward of this legacy,because that's how I feel that my
role is, and Christopher Jackson, ourartistic director, feels the same way.
We are all here, just kind oftending this beautiful thing
for the time that we are in it.
(04:29):
And we know that it existed 125years before us and that it will
exist many, many years after us.
So it's quite a privilege tobe in this role at this time.
Ron Klemm (04:40):
Is it a heavy responsibility?
Do you feel that?
Leela Breithaupt (04:43):
Enormously heavy, but not burdensome.
It is a privilege, but it's anenormous responsibility because you
don't wanna mess it up and you wannabe able to provide that impact and
grow the impact on our community andbeyond and so you have to be very
intentional about how you do that.
(05:04):
Honoring the traditions in thehistory while still at the same
time looking forward into providingimpact for everyone into the future.
Ron Klemm (05:13):
Well said.
Back to the question, how didyou get involved with this group?
Leela Breithaupt (05:18):
Well, I was a performing flutist for about 25 years
on solo chamber music orchestral,and I was doing that in the United
States and in Europe and in Germany.
My husband is German and so I wastraveling a lot to Germany and
performing there while our familywas there in the summer times.
(05:38):
I decided that I wanted to have a biggerchallenge in my life, and I don't mean
to put down being a performing musicianbecause it is a very noble thing to
do, but I wanted a bigger challengeand to provide more of an impact.
A. Dennis Sparger (05:55):
Well, you found it.
Leela Breithaupt (05:56):
Yeah.
So I was talking with, one of mydaughter's, daughter's friend's fathers,
and he said, well, you should do an MBAbecause then you can do anything you want.
You don't have to decide right nowwhat you wanna do and I thought about
it for a minute and I thought, well, Ihaven't had calculus since 12th grade.
I went to music school, sowhat am I gonna do with it?
I mean, how am I gonna do an MBA?
(06:18):
But it did, didn't turnout to be that hard.
I went and I got the MBA and thenI thought, well, I'll work in the
tech field for a little while.
'cause I think that's very exciting.
Most of my Indian families in thetech fields or in science industries.
And that
it wasn't fulfilling to me in theway that I had hoped it would be.
And so I was looking to provide really,I wanted to get into nonprofit and
(06:42):
into leadership of nonprofits where Ifelt that I could make the most impact.
A. Dennis Sparger (06:46):
And find a connection with your first passion.
Leela Breithaupt (06:48):
Yes.
So what happened is when I, I becameaware of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem's
search, it seemed like all of myentire life was leading to this point.
Being fluent in German, being a flutistwho loves Bach, being interested in
(07:11):
the history and the culture, and ofthe settlers of the United States.
The Moravians who founded Bethlehem.
I'm interested in all of those thingsand so it just felt like the natural
place for me to be, and I think thatthe Bach Choir felt the same way so it
is really a perfect place for me to be.
A. Dennis Sparger (07:32):
And they had an opening at the perfect time.
Leela Breithaupt (07:34):
They did and I was very lucky.
I had a year overlap with GregFunfgeld, the artistic director
and conductor, the sixth one inthe history of the Bach Choir.
Ron Klemm (07:44):
That's shocking.
Leela Breithaupt (07:45):
That was formed in 1898.
Ron Klemm (07:48):
That's shocking.
Leela Breithaupt (07:48):
So Christopher Jackson is the seventh artistic director and
conductor of the Bach Choir Bethlehem.
So I was very fortunate to have oneyear overlap during COVID with Greg,
and it was tremendously helpful to me.
I learned from, you know,
Ron Klemm (08:06):
a master.
Leela Breithaupt (08:07):
Yeah.
From the master.
And I also had a two week overlapwith my predecessor Bridget George,
which I'm immensely grateful for.
So I was really well preparedto take on this mantle and then
to share that with Christopheras he came in at the next year.
Ron Klemm (08:26):
You mentioned a couple of things that we could spend
several episodes on, but let'sstart with the whole history of and
legacy of the Bethlehem Bach Choir.
We know it goes back intoa previous century or two,
but what is the foundation?
How did it start?
You mentioned the Moravians, how didit start and, and how has it changed?
Leela Breithaupt (08:48):
So, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem started in 1898 when
the organist and music director ofthe Moravian Church in Bethlehem.
His name was J. Fred Walle.
That's how we pronounce it now.
But, of course, back in theday, they would've said Walle.
Right?
And I know one of hisdescendants and he says, Walle.
Ron Klemm (09:12):
Oh, wow.
Leela Breithaupt (09:13):
So, he had the idea that he wanted to go to Berkeley,
California in the end of the 18hundreds, the president and CEO of
Bethlehem Steel, Charles Schwab, wantedto have an orchestra, a band, a choir.
And so he went to to Berkeley and he saidto J. Fred Walle, if you come back, I
(09:39):
and my executive board will personallyguarantee any shortfalls that you have.
And that became the basis of ourguarantor program, which supports
the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
We now have more than 500
Ron Klemm (09:52):
Wow.
Leela Breithaupt (09:53):
guarantors.
And they're not solely responsible, butit's a really wonderful support network.
Ron Klemm (09:59):
It's a foundation.
Leela Breithaupt (09:59):
It's a foundation.Yes, it is.
A. Dennis Sparger (10:01):
That you can build on.
Leela Breithaupt (10:02):
And singing is in the bones of Moravians.
They, if you've ever been to a Moravianservice, and I have been, when the
Reverend Hopeton Clennon passed last year.
We had a, a full church there and itwas like the rooftop was gonna come
offwith everybody singing together.
(10:25):
That's the tradition that the BachChoir of Bethlehem comes from.
Their most important thingsthat they brought over in the 17
hundreds were tools to build houses.
Their music instruments, they broughtinstrument, they brought their
trombones for their trombone Choir.
They brought music, which we stillhave in the Moravian archives and,
(10:45):
you know, that that was an essentialpart of who they were and who their
society was at that time speaksvolumes and that set another part of
the foundation of our organization.
Ron Klemm (10:57):
Where does Bach come into all that?
Leela Breithaupt (11:00):
Yeah, so they, they were very involved with singing the
music of the time and in 1850 it wasthe Mendelssohn revival of Bach, so I
believe that some of the scores cameover to Bethlehem with the Moravians
(11:22):
and at least the interest came over.
So the Bach Choir of Bethlehem wasthe, was the first organization to
sing the B minor mass in 1900 atCentral Moravian Church, which is
across the street from my office.
Ron Klemm (11:37):
Wow.
Leela Breithaupt (11:38):
It's incredible.
It's an incredible feeling to,to be a part of that legacy.
Ron Klemm (11:44):
Obviously you do Bach, but do you only do Bach?
Leela Breithaupt (11:47):
Of course not.
Ron Klemm (11:48):
Okay.
Well, don't, some do.
A. Dennis Sparger (11:50):
Is there something that changed at a, at
a certain time in your history?
Leela Breithaupt (11:54):
So the B Minor Mass was the Bach Choir's only
performance of the whole year andevery year for many, many, many years.
Yeah.
At at the May Festival.
At the, at Bethlehem Bach Festival.
People would come fromall over the country.
These guarantors spread all over thecountry, and so people would come
(12:14):
and it was like a family reunion.
Picnics, parties on the lawnoutside Packer Memorial Chapel
on Lehigh University's campus.
We've been singing there since the Bminor mass, since I, I believe it's 1914.
So the longstanding relationshipwith Lehigh University, at some
point, I believe it was Ifor Jones.
(12:36):
He was the artistic director and I thinkthat he brought in chamber music, the idea
of chamber music and orchestral music.
Because of course, the Philadelphiaorchestra was playing for the, for the B
Minor Mass concerts for many, many years.
Ron Klemm (12:52):
Oh, incredible.
Yes.
Leela Breithaupt (12:53):
And I think that it be out of that came the idea to
do the Ifor Jones Chamber concert.
And that was the firstthing that got added.
And then Greg Funfgeld, he reallywanted to expand the impact of what
we were doing within our community.
So he created Bach to School, which is ourmusic education program in the schools,
(13:17):
an assembly program in the schools.
He created the, thefamily concert he created.
So we then we starteddoing Christmas concerts.
There, there's a whole communityengagement portion, an education portion
that Greg felt strongly about, and hegot the backing from the board and so we.
Expanded what we do into whatis now 40 concerts a year.
Ron Klemm (13:42):
Oh, that's, well that's amazing.
I mean,
A. Dennis Sparger (13:45):
Well, we certainly can see some parallels.
Ron Klemm (13:47):
Yeah.
A. Dennis Sparger (13:47):
Between your organization and our own.
Leela Breithaupt (13:49):
You know, it's, it's such a gift to the community.
People who don't know anything about Bachcome to these concerts and they are just.
Blown away.
Transported to another place, anothertime and your brain starts making
connections between something biblical.
I mean, because it really, itstarts with the biblical stories.
A. Dennis Sparger (14:10):
It certainly does.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (14:11):
But there's such a through line to what
we're going through today.
The division and thestrife and the isolation.
And the redemption and and thecommunity struggling together.
I think that that's the place thatwe really can provide a lot of value.
A. Dennis Sparger (14:27):
We have something to offer.
Ron Klemm (15:28):
From their 1998 recording of the complete Mass in B Minor by Bach.
We heard just a portion of the “Etresurrexit," the Bach Choir of Bethlehem,
and the Bach Festival Orchestra wasconducted there by Greg Funfgeld,
who now serves as music directoremeritus after nearly a 40 year tenure
(15:51):
as music director and conductor.
Just ahead more of our conversationwith Leela Breithaupt, executive
director of the Bethlehem Bach Choir.
At the 2025 Conference of ChorusAmerica here in St. Louis with Bach
Society Music Director Dennis Sparger.
I'm Ron Klemm, and this is Bach Talk.
(16:26):
With the incredible history of singingin your area, do you have audience
participation in some of your concerts?
Leela Breithaupt (16:37):
As part of our festival, we have choral sings and there before
Bach at 4 concerts and the B minor mass.
They are for everyone out on the lawnto come together and sing Bach in
four part Harmony, it is tremendousbecause the Choir's there also.
So people are surroundedand enveloped by the Choir.
(17:00):
They don't feel self-conscious.
We also do this at our Christmas concerts.
We sing, you know, in German together,silent Night and four part harmony
with the descants and everything.
Ron Klemm (17:09):
Sure.
Leela Breithaupt (17:10):
But that kind of audience, I wouldn't even
call it audience participation.
What it is, is people singingtogether and coming together.
And that puts them in the mind spacewhere they are curious and they're open
and ready for the concert after that.
So it's kind of like an appetizer.
A. Dennis Sparger (17:31):
Preparation.
And you, I know you have a, a, a long listof wonderful soloists that you bring in.
Leela Breithaupt (17:38):
We do.
A. Dennis Sparger (17:38):
'cause we've engaged many of those same people
Leela Breithaupt (17:40):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (17:41):
As well.
Leela Breithaupt (17:41):
And, and I think with the changing of the guard and the
artistic director we have, we're seeingsome new faces now and developing new
relationships, which is delightful.
And we haven't forgotten our old friends.
There are so many of them (17:53):
Rosa Lamoreaux.
And, we had, uh, BillSharp, and Ben Butterfield.
I mean, all Danny Taylor in Toronto.
They're such excellent artistsand I know that you have had the
opportunity to have them as well.
Oh, we've had several.
It just enriches the performances so much.
(18:16):
Yes.
And I think on this recording thisMendelssohn Bach recording, we had
Dann Coakwell as the evangelist.
A. Dennis Sparger (18:23):
Oh, wow.
Leela Breithaupt (18:24):
And he did a tremendous job.
The,
Ron Klemm (18:26):
that's a tough role,
Leela Breithaupt (18:27):
the storytelling.
Ron Klemm (18:28):
Yeah, that's exactly what he is
Leela Breithaupt (18:30):
storytelling.
And if you look at the photographsfrom that live recording,
you see it in his face.
You see, the the tension and theemotion and, and the, the angst.
I mean, just.
He exuded it and it came outin his, in his singing as well.
A. Dennis Sparger (18:51):
Last Saint Matthew.
Leela Breithaupt (18:52):
He's fantastic and Sherezade Panthaki and Meg Bragle.
I mean, I could go on and on.
There's, we we're, we're blessed.
We treat them like family when they come.
I mean, we, we really wanteveryone to feel like they're a
part of putting this together.
Everybody is an integral part ofputting it together from, you know, the.
(19:15):
Second altos to the bass player in theorchestra, to the soprano soloists, to
the production staff and our volunteers.
We have such excellent volunteers who comeand do ushering and treat people well.
Yeah, it's a standard.
A. Dennis Sparger (19:31):
Are the orchestra players all in town?
Leela Breithaupt (19:34):
No.
No.
We bring them, we bring themfrom out of town as well.
We have some in town players and we bring.
Our concert master is Liz Field.
She lives in Washington DC.
A. Dennis Sparger (19:43):
So then you have to house them as well?
Leela Breithaupt (19:45):
We have to house them in hotels, yes.
Yeah.
A. Dennis Sparger (19:48):
And 415 or 440?
Leela Breithaupt (19:50):
It's 440.
They're on modern instruments.
I'm glad you asked that.
Liz, yes.
Ron Klemm (19:55):
I'm sure everyone understands that, for those that
A. Dennis Sparger (19:58):
it's the tuning, it's a tuning issue.
That at the time of Bach, their standardpitch, which was not standardized.
Ron Klemm (20:06):
Right?
Right.
That's the key,
A. Dennis Sparger (20:08):
was lower, like a half step lower than what's used today.
Leela Breithaupt (20:11):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (20:11):
Since what about the 1930s it's been standardized through
much of the world that, uh, the pitcha will be 440 vibrations per second.
Which is just fine, except thatsometimes Bach writes rather high notes.
Ron Klemm (20:28):
You think?
Leela Breithaupt (20:28):
Very true and it, it's a problem if you have the blessing
slash curse of having perfect pitch.
Ron Klemm (20:35):
Oh yes.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (20:36):
So, yeah, but what is wonderful to see right now.
That Liz Field is as in demand as amodern violinist as a baroque violinist.
Ron Klemm (20:46):
Really?
Leela Breithaupt (20:46):
So she does both.
She's a professional in both fields, andwhat she's doing is she's bringing the
historical performance practice to ourorchestra members on modern instruments.
Yeah.
So it's really kind of like a niche field.
A. Dennis Sparger (21:01):
Yeah.
We're doing the same thing.
Leela Breithaupt (21:02):
Yeah.
And I love it.
It's, I, they did a piece by Mufaand she had them play chin off, and I
thought I was going to just be in heaven.
It was such a wonderful feeling.
A. Dennis Sparger (21:12):
Now, did you get to go back and play with them?
Leela Breithaupt (21:14):
No, I've never actually played with them, but I was
listening and I was really enjoying it.
Greg and I have played a couple concertstogether on a private basis, but we, we've
not done any public concerts together.
Ron Klemm (21:27):
Ah, and, and how is he doing?
Leela Breithaupt (21:28):
He's doing extremely well.
He's, He's just as engaged as ever andhe's like a he, he's like a mentor.
That will always bethere when you need him.
Ron Klemm (21:38):
Your mission talks about inspiring and enriching
people through the transformativepower of J.S. Bach and others.
What does that mean to you?
Leela Breithaupt (21:50):
So when I think of the word transformative, I
think about what it does to yourbody, what it does to your mind.
It takes you from one place andone feeling, and one sensation
and one presence to another.
And I think Bach's music is uniquelyqualified to do that for a lot of
(22:12):
people because he's telling a story.
There is a lot of music that tellsthe story, but Bach is a master of
doing text painting, which is, he istelling the story not only through
the words that he's having peoplesing, but what he's doing with the
oboe or what he's doing in the violin.
(22:33):
For example, you know, if he's, iflet's say he's talking about, you
know, ascending something, he'll have.
Somebody go up in the orchestra orhe'll have the voice part go up.
Or he might trick you and have it go downand then you have a different take on it.
And I think that
Ron Klemm (22:51):
he'll flip the script sometimes.
Leela Breithaupt (22:52):
Yes.
Right, right.
And that can be.
You can, You can listen to iton whatever level you want to.
You can be a very, like a Bach nerdand really watch all of that and
A. Dennis Sparger (23:01):
dig through every little thing.
Leela Breithaupt (23:02):
Right and appreciate all of that.
Or you could just let it wash over you.
But it's not lost on you.
I think it still has an impact, evenif you're letting it wash over you.
There's something that
A. Dennis Sparger (23:12):
well said
Leela Breithaupt (23:13):
touches you
A. Dennis Sparger (23:13):
still connects.
Leela Breithaupt (23:14):
That's right.
(23:41):
There's a 1951 State Department film.
So the State Department came to Bethlehemand filmed the Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
Ron Klemm (23:53):
In 1951?
Leela Breithaupt (23:53):
1951 and the reason that they filmed the Bach Choir of
Bethlehem was to tell the story ofacquire as a model of democracy.
Ron Klemm (24:03):
What?
Leela Breithaupt (24:04):
They sent it to Eastern Europe in a time when,
you know, was post World War 2.
They were trying to, they weretrying to influence democracies
to form in, in the world.
They saw this Choir that wasa community Choir with people.
You know, It didn't matter whatyour station was in life, right?
(24:25):
You left that at the door.
It didn't matter what yourbeliefs were, what your political,
you know, convictions were.
All of that's left and you justconnect and that that provides
really the the rock of the society.
Ron Klemm (24:41):
It's foundational.
Leela Breithaupt (24:41):
It's foundational of the society, and that you're
all equal in the music making.
I, I think that that's veryspecial in a community Choir, that
there's not a hierarchy in it.
A. Dennis Sparger (24:53):
And also you're willing to give up some
of your own autonomy or freedom.
Leela Breithaupt (24:58):
Right.
A. Dennis Sparger (24:59):
In order to be part of something that's more beautiful and more
communicative, you know, to, to everyone.
It reaches out to so many people.
Leela Breithaupt (25:06):
Yeah.
And, and.
What the film does beautifully, and Ican it's, it's on, actually on available
on through a link on our website.
We have a new archival digitizedsection of our website of archival
materials that we digitized.
So what happens, it's, theyfollow some protagonists in their
professions into the Choir, andthen they follow them back home.
(25:29):
And you see the impact of whatsinging together in the Bach Choir of
Bethlehem has on their personal lives.
So it's, it's really beautiful.
You have a Bethlehem Steel marketingexec, you know, greeting one of
the people who works in the fires,basically in the steel stacks.
Ron Klemm (25:47):
Of course.
A. Dennis Sparger (25:47):
Yes.
Leela Breithaupt (25:48):
You know, It, it's incredible.
That's transformative.
That's what we wanna keep doing.
And that's why we cannever cease to exist.
Regardless of whatever, youknow, challenges we have.
We are, we feel so strongly about ourmission to impact people and provide
these transformative experiencesfor people that I, I just, I can't
(26:13):
see a way that we could ever stop.
A. Dennis Sparger (26:15):
And because this is such significant music i,
I think we can't be misled by everynewest thing that comes along.
Leela Breithaupt (26:23):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (26:24):
Maybe little samples of new repertoire and new ideas, but
we can't veer very far, you know,from what our mission is all about.
Leela Breithaupt (26:33):
One of the things that Christopher's doing that I find
fascinating christopher started aChristmas Carol project where we
were having, uh, composers we'recommissioning composers to write a carol
every Christmas for the Bach Choir.
And the first year was ourboard president, who is
actually a very good composer.
Oh.
He wrote the first, the first caroland Kyle Smith wrote the second one.
(26:55):
So he composed a newly composedcarol for that concert.
It was an incredible concert.
Now a big part of your
A. Dennis Sparger (27:01):
job is connecting with your audience members, your
donors And I would would imagineyou also have to make the ask.
Leela Breithaupt (27:10):
Yes.
And I have a developmentdirector, as well.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:12):
As well?
Leela Breithaupt (27:13):
And, and, and we have Christopher, so we are all in.
It's not hard to ask people tosupport something you believe in.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:20):
That's true.
Leela Breithaupt (27:20):
And it's not hard to ask people to not give you money.
They're not giving you money.
They're giving money to the organization.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:27):
Yes.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (27:28):
So that everyone can, still
A. Dennis Sparger (27:30):
can benefit from it,
Leela Breithaupt (27:30):
enjoy this and benefit from it.
So that's something thatI find I can believe in.
And I don't, I, you know, I. Ijust think it's part of who we are.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:39):
You can ask without apology.
Leela Breithaupt (27:41):
You can ask without apology and you can ask,
knowing that you're going to begood stewards of their money.
A. Dennis Sparger (27:46):
Yes.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (27:47):
Which is something that I can do something about.
You know, we, I can, I can make surethat we're fiscally responsible, that
we're doing the strategic planning,and that we're following our plan.
That's something that I feelthat is in my control right now.
And that's to go back to thebeginning of the conversation.
That's where I, I take my passionfor the music and the skills that I
(28:09):
learned in the MBA and I take it andI, it's almost like paying it forward.
A. Dennis Sparger (28:13):
You move forward with it.
Yes.
Yeah.
Ron Klemm (28:47):
A choral from the Passion according to St. Matthew
by Johann Sebastian Bach.
In the edition by Felix Mendelssohn, theBach Choir of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,
conducted by Christopher Jackson.
Just ahead, one final portion of ourconversation with Lee Le Bright Hop,
Executive Director of the Bach Choirof Bethlehem from our visit at the
(29:11):
2025 Conference of Chorus Americahere in St. Louis, along with Bach
Society Music Director Dennis Sparger.
I'm Ron Klemm, and this is Bach Talk.
(29:34):
One of the things that I've alwayssaid about The Bach Society of Saint
Louis, and maybe it's true for youtoo, is that we are able to do things
that other organizations can't.
But that's because of who Bachwas, what he believed, and the
texts that we present are, are, arematters of life and death and a lot
(29:56):
of people don't want to go there.
A. Dennis Sparger (29:58):
Don't wanna deal with that.
Ron Klemm (29:58):
That's a tough, that's a tough nut to crack for a lot of folks.
Yeah.
Leela Breithaupt (30:01):
Yeah.
Ron Klemm (30:02):
You find that as well?
Leela Breithaupt (30:03):
You know, I think that the, there's an
uplifting message in Bach works.
There's a spiritual quality to themessage of his cantatas and, and which
texts he chose to set in which ways.
It's a resonance I think in thepeople who listen and you don't
have to know anything about Bach.
You don't have to know anythingabout the biblical text.
(30:24):
You are just moved by what you'rehearing sometimes to tears.
Sometimes to joy and laughter.
I mean, that's what's so beautifulabout these, these free concerts that
we do where people just walk in thedoor on the second Tuesday of each
month except for December and May.
A. Dennis Sparger (30:40):
Tell us a little bit about the free concerts.
Ron Klemm (30:42):
Please.
Leela Breithaupt (30:42):
Yeah.
So that, that was a series thatGreg Funfgeld he dreamt up.
He wanted
A. Dennis Sparger (30:47):
Now are these like just an organ recital for an hour?
Leela Breithaupt (30:49):
No, no, no.
These are a choir.
Concerts on the second Tuesday ofeach month, except for December and
May we do what we call Bach at noon.
It's Tuesdays at noon.
And it is
a cantata.
Sometimes, it's a solo cantata,but mostly cantatas with choir.
And then another piece or two of chambermusic works of Bach or another composer.
(31:14):
And they are just ourgift to the community.
People come, they come for an upliftingrespite in their day instead of going
to lunch, we have lawyers who comeand just sit and they bask in the
music that's there, it's such a salve.
A. Dennis Sparger (31:32):
Now your choir is very full, about 120 singers?
Leela Breithaupt (31:36):
Right now it's about 120 singers.
Yeah.
Christopher's added some moretenors to fortify our tenor section.
Ron Klemm (31:43):
Send them over.
Leela Breithaupt (31:45):
Yeah.
And they sign up.
A. Dennis Sparger (31:47):
Do they all sing that?
Leela Breithaupt (31:48):
No, they don't all sing.
So it's, it's basically a sign up basedon their availability and their interest.
We usually get, I would sayabout 40, maybe 40 people.
Ron Klemm (32:00):
And they get just one or two rehearsals?
Leela Breithaupt (32:02):
Well they, I don't know how Christopher does that actually, I,
because I don't go to all the rehearsals.
I know that he has extra parts of eachrehearsal when Bach at Noon is coming up
where they, where some people stay longerand I think that they go over those works.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:16):
Well the nice thing about the cantatas is
they're largely for, for soloists.
Leela Breithaupt (32:21):
Right.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:21):
And the chorus may have, you know, the opening piece.
Ron Klemm (32:23):
The chorale.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:24):
Three, four or five minutes and then a chorale at the end.
Leela Breithaupt (32:27):
Yes.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:28):
If they're lucky, they get something in the middle.
Leela Breithaupt (32:30):
Right.
A. Dennis Sparger (32:30):
So yeah.
It is a little easier for thechorus to be ready for that.
Leela Breithaupt (32:35):
Yes.
And, and our practice is tohire professional soloists
and professional orchestra.
So what Christopher's doing is, is he'sworking with the choir on the chorales,
basically, which I think is not too badif you would wanna do one each month,
and then they have a rehearsal with theorchestra the morning of the concert.
(32:56):
So they, but they're so wellhoned in what they're doing.
They understand what they're doing, thatit comes together really quite seamlessly.
Ron Klemm (33:04):
Well, and it's a great, great tribute to them because this
is, this is not Bethlehem, Germany.
This is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Leela Breithaupt (33:12):
It is.
Ron Klemm (33:12):
And, and so it's a, it's an amazing accomplishment really, to do
that much and to do it consistently well.
Leela Breithaupt (33:19):
Yes.
Our, our what we really feel proudabout is that we are taking people
wherever they are and taking them.
You know, A step furtherin their musicality.
We have a whole endowment fund thatsupports the skill building of the Choir,
and we bring in professional singersto train the Choir in German diction,
(33:42):
we have a German diction specialist.
We had a Russian diction specialistto work with them on the, on the
Rachmaninoff, but also in singingthey, we give them singing lessons as
part of what we want to do for themis, is, is to raise and build their
skills so that they can enjoy theirparticipation in the Choir even more.
A. Dennis Sparger (34:00):
And how often does the full chorus perform throughout the year?
Leela Breithaupt (34:04):
So everything except for Bach at Noon, except for those 10
concerts, the full choir is involved.
Ron Klemm (34:09):
That's dedication.
Leela Breithaupt (34:10):
Yes, yes, yes, it is.
There, there are a bunch of peoplewho come from all walks of life.
And that's something Iwanted to add about how,
Ron Klemm (34:19):
please,
Leela Breithaupt (34:19):
how this Choir began it.
Started with people in the community.Yeah.
They were Moravians who, who wereinvolved, but there were also, you
know, teachers, doctors, steel workers.
Not at that time, but as, as historyprogressed, we had people who
were working in the steel mills.
We had execs at Bethlehem Steel, whichwas the biggest employer, far and wide.
(34:43):
We had, you know, people from allplaces in their lives, and you think,
well, why are they coming together on aMonday night wanting to rehearse Bach?
It changes, you know, it changes you.
So you may come in tired and exhaustedfrom, and stressed out from your
work and thinking of, oh, do Ireally wanna go and stand there for,
(35:05):
you know, two hours and sing Bach?
And you people, they walkout like floating on clouds.
A. Dennis Sparger (35:10):
And as we talked about this morning, it's even
healthy for people to be singing.
Ron Klemm (35:14):
It's rejuvenating.
Leela Breithaupt (35:16):
That is an excellent word.
A. Dennis Sparger (35:17):
So many positive things about it.
Ron Klemm (35:44):
How do you take this incredible legacy of Bach and all of
all that you've put into it over theyears and bring it to a new generation?
Leela Breithaupt (35:55):
I'm so glad you asked that.
We have a Bel Canto youthChoir that is expanding.
We now have 80 childrenin the youth Choir.
Ron Klemm (36:05):
Wow.
Leela Breithaupt (36:05):
And three Choirs.
We're adding another Choir nextyear called Bach Buddies for the
kindergarteners through second graders.
Ron Klemm (36:13):
That's fantastic.
Leela Breithaupt (36:14):
And you know, the idea is that Bach music and singing together is
for everyone from the little ones to the,
Ron Klemm (36:24):
it's universal.
Leela Breithaupt (36:25):
The, it's universal.
We also have a music and hospiceprogram called A Musical Heart.
So we are trying to release,
Ron Klemm (36:34):
Wait, wait.
Hospice program?
Leela Breithaupt (36:35):
Hospice.
Yeah.
Ron Klemm (36:35):
How, how does that work?
Leela Breithaupt (36:38):
The musicians get trained by the hospice organizations
in the hospitals how to interactwith patients and their families,
and they go and they sing or theyplay an instrument just by whatever
they feel that that person needs orthose people need at that moment.
It's not a performance.
It's very interactive and intuitive.
(37:00):
It can be incredibly meaningful.
The, the kind of responsesthat we've seen happen.
People who didn't speak for along time and were basically, you
know, eyes closed, not speaking.
Sat up and started, you know, talking.
Yeah.
It's, It's incredible.
Hearing is the last sense that leaves us.
(37:23):
So sometimes our musicians whoare doing this program have
been actually making music whilesomeone passed and what a gift.
Ron Klemm (37:35):
Well, I was just the,
Leela Breithaupt (37:36):
what a gift
Ron Klemm (37:36):
words were on the tip of my garden.
It is a gift.
Yes.
It's a ministry to people.
Leela Breithaupt (37:41):
It is.
Ron Klemm (37:41):
Regardless of what, what you believe, but what
a, what a tremendous gift.
Thank you for doing that.
Leela Breithaupt (37:46):
So the power, the power of healing.
Yeah.
And uplifting and connection.
You asked, what do I want forthe future of the Bach Choir?
That's what I want.
A. Dennis Sparger (37:55):
That's just a terrific story.
Leela Breithaupt (37:56):
Well, thank you.
Ron Klemm (37:58):
Thank you for paying it forward to us today.
Leela Breithaupt (38:01):
It's been a pleasure to talk with you, Ron.
Ron Klemm (38:03):
Thank you.
Leela Breithaupt (38:03):
And Dennis, thank you so much.
Ron Klemm (38:05):
Leela Breithaupt, executive director of the Bach Choir of
Bethlehem, along with Bach Societyof Saint Louis, music Director Dennis
Sparger from the 2025 Conference ofChorus America in downtown St. Louis.
I'm Ron Klemm, and this is Bach Talk.
(38:47):
More from their 1998 recordingof the complete Mass in B
Minor by Johan Sebastian Bach.
Dona nobis pacem”.
. .Grant us peace.
All of the music on today's episodefeatured the Bach Choir of Bethlehem
and the Bach Festival Orchestra.
You can find these recordings on theirwebsite, which is simply bach.org.
(39:11):
I think Sebastian himselfassigned that web address
that's bach, B-A-C-H dot O-R-G.
Do you enjoy hearing about othercoral ensembles besides The
(39:33):
Bach Society of Saint Louis?
Let us know.
Take a moment right now to contact uswith your question or comment, just go
to bachsociety.org and click on BachTalk under the watch and listen tab.
If you'd rather interact more, sendus an email, bachtalk@bachsociety.org.
We look forward to hearing from you.
(40:03):
Today's episode was edited by IanGilbert, promotional and other assistance
provided as always by Charissa Marciniakand Andie Murphy of Right Relations.
I'm Ron Klemm.
Special thanks to DennisSparger, of course, and to our
friends at Chorus America wherethis conversation took place.
(40:43):
Bach Talk is a registered trademarkof The Bach Society of Saint Louis.
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