FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nicholas McGegan and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra take audience on a musical journey through Baroque Europe
CONTACT:
Dianne Provenzano
Marketing & Communications Director
press@philharmonia.org
(415) 252-1288 x 315
SAN FRANCISCO – BERKELEY – PALO ALTO
February 4, 2016, San Francisco –Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra will take center stage during the March concert set. Nicholas McGegan will lead the orchestra and audience on an excursion through Baroque Europe with works written for the most skilled ensembles of Venice, Versailles, Dresden, and London in this program titled “Explore Baroque Europe.”
“Philharmonia concertante” is the theme of this multinational program of orchestral music from the theater, ballet, and salon, interwoven with solos, duets, and other small ensembles featuring our virtuoso players,” says Philharmonia Scholar-in-Residence, Bruce Lamott.
These works in the Baroque period do not make the sharp distinction between soloist and orchestra in the manner of later style periods, but allow soloists to emerge from and return to the texture of the whole ensemble.
“Our program also showcases our woodwinds, favored by composers to evoke extramusical images such as the hunt or forest,” says Lamott.
The program features Arne’s Overture to “King Arthur”, Zelenka’s Hipocondrie à 7 Concertanti, Heinichen’s Concerto in F major, Tartini’s Violin Concerto in D major and Rameau’s Suite from “Les Fêtes de L’Hymen et de L’Amour.”
Philharmonia’s own celebrated violinist, Elizabeth Blumenstock, will perform the Tartini violin concerto on her 1660 Guarneri on loan from the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Period Instrument Trust. Blumenstock is a highly-admired and long-term member of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra often serving as concertmaster, soloist, or leader. She also serves as concertmaster of the Göttingen Handelfestspiel Orchestra and the Italian ensemble Il Complesso Barocco and is involved in many acclaimed period-instrument ensembles, including Musica Pacifica, the Arcadian Academy, American Baroque and Trio Galatea.
Pre- Concert Talks will be conducted by John Prescott and take place 45 minutes before each concert. Prescott holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in musicology from U.C. Berkeley and has taught at U.C. Berkeley and the Crowden School in Berkeley.
See “Explore Baroque Europe” on Wednesday March 2 at 7:30 pm at First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto, on Friday March 4 at 8 pm at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco and on Saturday March 5 at 8 pm and Sunday March 7 at 4 pm at First Congregational Church in Berkeley.
Tickets range from $25 to $105. For more information about this and other Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale concerts, visit philharmonia.org. For tickets, visit cityboxoffice.com or call 415-392-4400.
These concerts are the fifth set in a series of six regular 2015-16 season concerts as Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra celebrates its 35th season as an orchestra, the Chorale celebrates 20 years and Nicholas McGegan celebrates his 30th anniversary as music director.
Program Notes for Explore Baroque Europe are here.
Classical KDFC is the radio home of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale. KDFC broadcasts an unreleased live Philharmonia concert recording the second Sunday of every month from 8-9 PM.
CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:
WHO:
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
PHOTOGRAPHY: (Click to download)
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Elizabeth Blumenstock, violin
WHAT: Concert Performance
“Explore Baroque Europe”
TARTINI Violin Concerto in D major
RAMEAU Suite from “Les Fêtes de L’Hymen et de L’Amour”
ZELENKA Hipocondrie à 7 Concertanti
ARNE Overture to Purcell’s “King Arthur”
HEINICHEN Concerto in F major, S. 235
PRICE: Range from $25 to $105.
TICKETS: Available at City Box Office 415-392-4400 or cityboxoffice.com
WHEN/WHERE:
Wednesday March 2 @ 7:30 p.m.
First United Methodist Church, Palo Alto
Friday, March 4 @ 8:00 p.m.
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco
Saturday, March 5 @ 8:00 p.m.
First Congregational Church, Berkeley
Sunday, March 6 @ 7:30 p.m.
First Congregational Church, Berkeley
Short Description:
Nicholas McGegan is your tour guide on this excursion through the heart of Baroque Europe. Experience works written for the most skilled ensembles of Venice and Versailles, Dresden and London – as the virtuoso collective of our age, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, takes center stage.
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