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ABO's 28TH SEASON - MUSICAL JOURNEYS
Thank you for joining us this season!
LEIPZIG Churches and Coffeehouse
A Festive Collaboration – Music of Johann Sebastian Bach
With the Cathedral of St. Philip Schola, Dale Adelmann, Canon for Music and conductor
Program
J.S. Bach, Wir danken dir, BWV 29
J.S. Bach, Orchestral Suite #1 in C Major, BWV 1066
J.S. Bach, Ein feste Burg, BWV 80
October 23, 7:30 pm | The Cathedral of St. Philip
October 24, 3:00 pm | Lassiter Concert Hall
The ABO continues its 10th-anniversary celebrations as Artists-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St. Philip with a celebration of J.S. Bach’s musical life in Leipzig. With trumpets, timpani, winds, strings, and the Cathedral Schola, this glorious program highlights Bach’s famous Cantata 80, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (“A mighty fortress is our God”), first performed in Leipzig’s St. Nicholas Church upon the installation of a new town council in 1731. The bond that continues to flourish between the ABO and our Friends of Cathedral Music was first forged through collaboration on this masterpiece in 2013.
A short jaunt takes our listeners from the church to Zimmermann’s famous coffeehouse for a performance of Bach’sOrchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, newly composed for the occasion.
Selections from Cantata 29, Wir danken dir, Gott (“We thank you, God”), bring church and coffeehouse together as Bach reimagines the Preludio from his Violin Partita in E Major as an organ extravaganza in the cantata’s opening Sinfonia, featuring Cathedral organist Chase Loomer.
Presented by the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra and Friends of Cathedral Music.
LONDON Salons and Taverns
Drive the Cold Winter Away - Candlelight Concert
With Hannah DePriest, soprano; and Lucas Harris, lute
Program
Lute songs, ballads, and instrumental airs and dances
[Watch this space for program details to come]
January 29, 7:30 pm | The Cathedral of St. Philip
January 30, 3:00 pm | Lassiter Concert Hall
January 31, 3:00 pm | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
Favorite ABO soprano Hannah De Priest and virtuoso lutenist Lucas Harris draw listeners into the Salons and Taverns of London for an intimate romp of English ballads and lute songs intertwined with zesty instrumentals for two violins, cello and continuo. Our candlelit stages add fire and warmth to our program that will surely drive the cold winter away!
Praise for our guest artists:
“The revelation of the concert was the Torontonian lutenist Lucas Harris, who weaved a poetic thread through his infinitely subtle interventions. The sweetness and patience of his playing . . . was astonishing.” (Le Devoir)
“From the first notes she sang, De Priest immediately distinguished herself with her versatility of vocal color, dramatic engagement, and textual clarity.” (Chicago Classical Review)
LONDON Haymarket Theatre
Israel in Egypt, Oratorio by G.F. Handel
With Georgia State University Singers, Deanna Joseph, conductor
Program
[Watch this space for program details to come]
February 26, 7:30 pm | First Presbyterian Church
February 27, 7:30 pm | Johns Creek United Methodist Church
February 28, 3:00 pm | Lassiter Concert Hall
London’s theaters hosted all sorts of performances, from plays and operas to benefit concerts and oratorios. Oratorios were popular entertainments during the Lenten season, when staged performances were suspended in deference to the church year. Following stellar performances in the ABO’s productions of Handel’s Acis and Galatea and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Dr. Deanna Joseph and her remarkable Georgia State University Singers join the ABO for a rare performance of Handel’s oratorio Israel in Egypt. The oratorio is remarkable for its vivid storytelling of the Israelites’ journey through the Red Sea to freedom including depictions of the plagues of frogs and all manner of insects and disasters. A stellar lineup of guest soloists includes returning artists Andréa Walker (soprano, Dido and Aeneas, Acis and Galatea, Monteverdi’s Vespers) and Sumner Thompson (tenor/baritone, Monteverdi’s Vespers), and newcomer Clara Osowski (mezzo-soprano), all joined by a robust ABO featuring brass, timpani, winds, and strings.
Praise for our guest artists:
“Walker’s singing was agile, plaintive, and finely detailed – not emotionally oversized, but shaped with a bel canto-like emphasis on line and color. It felt like a sudden expansion. . . a moment when the music seemed to momentarily glow from within.”
“The second half [of the Handel Aria Competition] saw Clara Osowski lead off with “Cara speme” from Giulio Cesare, and frankly, she had me at “Cara.” There is a natural bloom to her voice that is irresistible, and her nuanced control of soft dynamics will be a lingering memory.”
CHARLESTON Society Halls and Great Rooms
A Musical Soirée in Colonial America
With David Breitman, fortepiano
Program
Johann Christian Bach, Favourite Overture No. 4 in C Major
Johann Friedrich Peter, Quintet No.1
Johann Christian Bach, Keyboard Concerto Op. 1 No. 6
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Overture to Le Devin du Village
Johann Christian Bach, Sextet in C Major W. B78
Felice Giardini, Violin Concerto Op. 15 No. 6
Thomas Arne, Overture No. 8 in G minor (The Judgment of Paris)
Muzio Clementi, Clavier Sonata in B-flat, op. 24 No. 2
Johann Christian Bach, Symphony in G minor, Op. 6 No. 6
April 16, 7:30 pm | The Cathedral of St. Philip
April 17, TBD | Location TBD
April 18, TBD | Location TBD
Charleston, South Carolina, was a leading cultural center in the colonies beginning in the mid-18th century. The St. Cecilia Society, founded in 1766, offered private subscriptions to concerts featuring the most popular music from Europe and the Colonies at venues around town.
On the heels of America’s 250th Anniversary, the ABO presents a musical soirée modeled after this concert series. Organized by “acts,” the repertoire spans several genres, from solo keyboard to full orchestra. Fortepianist DavidBreitman joins us for a program featuring favorite pieces imported from Europe by J.C. Bach, Thomas Arne, and Muzio Clementi, as well as a Quintet by J.F. Peter, a Moravian newly settled in the Colonies; and ABO’s own Evan Few shines in Felice Giardini’s Violin Concerto in E-flat Major.
MANY THANKS
The Atlanta Baroque Orchestra enjoys boundless generosity from the metro-Atlanta community. We appreciate the fiscal support from our patrons and donors, the wonderful contributions we receive from foundations, and the gracious gift of space in which to perform.
We extend a special thanks to Dale Adelmann and the Friends of Cathedral Music for embracing the ABO as Artists-in-Residence at the Cathedral of St. Philip. Their generosity and welcoming spirit throughout our week-long rehearsal and concert residencies is invaluable.
The Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta
Lassiter Concert Hall, Marietta
First Baptist Church of Decatur, Decatur
Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, Atlanta
Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Atlanta
Lutheran Church of the Ascension, Savannah
Printing services & other support provided by
Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. Marshall Allen, Liaison.
Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.
This program is supported in part by Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Council for the Arts also receives support from its partner agency - the National Endowment for the Arts.
This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generous support of our donors to continue bringing music to audiences around the world. Your contribution helps us to hire the best musicians, bring in guest performers, and offer educational programs for young people. Donate today and help us to continue sharing the magic of symphonic music with the world.