[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 12070-12071]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              COMMEMORATING THE 100TH BACH CHOIR FESTIVAL

  (Mr. DENT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the distinguished 
Bach choir of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, our Nation's oldest choir 
dedicated to the performance and celebration of musical masterpieces 
composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Founded in 1898 under the direction 
of J. Fred Wolle, the organist of the Bethlehem Moravian Church, the 
choir is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the annual Bach Festival 
this month.
  In 1900, the Bach choir presented their first performance of ``The 
Mass in B Minor'' in the Moravian Church in Bethlehem during the Bach 
Festival. Although the next Bach Festival was not held again until 
1912, the Festival has blossomed into a long-standing cultural 
tradition in Bethlehem, attracting visitors from all around the Nation

[[Page 12071]]

and the world each year. During the festival, the choir will once again 
breathe life into Bach's Mass in B Minor.
  Since its inception, the choir has been a shining star in the city of 
Bethlehem. Today, the choir is comprised of 95 volunteer members and 
performs under the leadership and direction of Greg Funfgeld. This 
unique ensemble has gained international acclaim for their artistry. 
The choir has been welcomed to perform on some of the most renowned 
stages in the world, including the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, 
Munich's Royal Residence, as well as London's Royal Albert Hall as part 
of a concert tour in the United Kingdom.
  Furthermore, countless listeners have tuned in across the globe to 
listen to the choir on National Public Radio and the BBC World Service. 
The discipline and talent that ushers this choir around the world is 
also shared with children and the young musicians in Lehigh Valley 
through music education programs.
  I would just like to commend all the good people at the Bach choir 
and congratulate them on this 100th anniversary of the Bach Festival.

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