Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri: A Choral Meditation for Holy Week

Occurring
for 1 hour, 15 mins
Venue
Christ Church Cathedral
Address
St Aldate's Oxford, OX1 1DP, United Kingdom

Join us in the beautiful setting of Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday 15th April at 7.30 pm for a free performance of Dietrich Buxtehude’s Passiontide masterpiece, Membra Jesu Nostri.

First published in 1680, this cycle of seven cantatas explores the individual believer’s response to the suffering body of Christ on the cross as they gradually raise their gaze upwards: beginning at His feet, then His knees, hands, side, breast, and heart, before finally meeting His face. Buxtehude sets texts chosen from the bible and the medieval Salve mundi salutare hymn with a mixture of Italian and German styles, combining intense expression with contemplative clarity. The resulting music is one of the masterpieces of the German baroque.

Interspersed between the cantatas are three meditations from our Priest Vicar, The Reverend Dr Zachary Guiliano, guiding us in accessing the ideas, theology and emotions that surrounds Membra Jesu Nostri.

This performance is offered as an act of worship, and admission is therefore free and no booking is required. Whoever you are and whatever you believe, you are warmly welcome to come along and experience Holy Week and the Passion story through Buxtehude's beautiful music.

Christ Church Cathedral

As Oxford's Cathedral, Christ Church is an ancient place of living faith and welcome in the heart of our city, which also hosts a wide range of concerts and events. From our roots as the Saxon religious community of St Frideswide established 1300 years ago, to the unique single foundation of Anglican cathedral and Oxford University College we are today, our story has been centuries in the making. Come and be a part of it!
What's on

Buxtehude's Membra Jesu Nostri: A Choral Meditation for Holy Week

Occurring
for 1 hour, 15 mins
Venue
Christ Church Cathedral
Address
St Aldate's Oxford, OX1 1DP, United Kingdom

Join us in the beautiful setting of Christ Church Cathedral on Tuesday 15th April at 7.30 pm for a free performance of Dietrich Buxtehude’s Passiontide masterpiece, Membra Jesu Nostri.

First published in 1680, this cycle of seven cantatas explores the individual believer’s response to the suffering body of Christ on the cross as they gradually raise their gaze upwards: beginning at His feet, then His knees, hands, side, breast, and heart, before finally meeting His face. Buxtehude sets texts chosen from the bible and the medieval Salve mundi salutare hymn with a mixture of Italian and German styles, combining intense expression with contemplative clarity. The resulting music is one of the masterpieces of the German baroque.

Interspersed between the cantatas are three meditations from our Priest Vicar, The Reverend Dr Zachary Guiliano, guiding us in accessing the ideas, theology and emotions that surrounds Membra Jesu Nostri.

This performance is offered as an act of worship, and admission is therefore free and no booking is required. Whoever you are and whatever you believe, you are warmly welcome to come along and experience Holy Week and the Passion story through Buxtehude's beautiful music.

Safeguarding

Christ Church is a place of worship, pilgrimage, sanctuary, and activity, and it should be a safe place for all. Safeguarding forms part of our everyday working practice and is the responsibility of everyone at Christ Church Cathedral. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies, as well as our own (which can be viewed at the link below).

The Cathedral Safeguarding Team is: Fiona Sidorowicz (Cathedral Safeguarding Officer), The Revd Charlie Kerr (Associate Cathedral Safeguarding Officer and Priest Vicar for Education and Pilgrimage), and Matthew Dickins (Associate Cathedral Safeguarding Officer and Chapter Clerk).

If you have any concerns regarding the safety or welfare of a child or adult, please email us at [email protected]. Alternatively, contact the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team at [email protected].

If you believe a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires medical attention, please call the emergency services now on 999.

Safeguarding at Christ Church Cathedral