[Boston, MA – January 15, 2019] The Handel and Haydn Society will bring Italian Baroque music to life with a passionate and masterful performance on Friday, February 22, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, February 24, 2019 at 3:00 p.m. at the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall in Boston.
Directed by Handel and Haydn Society Concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky, the performance will feature five H+H premieres, including Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in D Minor, RV 242, Per Pisendel and Concerto for Violin, Op. 8, No. 5, La tempesta di mare; Muffat’s Concerto Grosso No. 12 in G Major, Propitia Sydera; Telemann’s Concerto for Three Violins; and Geminiani’s Concerto Grosso, After Corelli, Op. 5, No. 5 in G Minor. The performance will also feature Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in F Major, Op. 6, No. 2, most recently performed by H+H in 1992 and Telemann’s Viola Concerto, most recently performed by H+H in 2011.
Emerging in the 1600s in Western Europe, the Italian Baroque style brings a range of emotions to the music, creating moments that range from brilliant to dramatic, emotional to operatic, and sparkling to energetic. Performed by the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra, using historically informed techniques on instruments from the composer’s period, these pieces are as powerful today as when they were written.
One of the most dynamic and versatile violinists of her generation, Nosky will be the featured soloist, dazzling the audience with an energetic performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto in D Minor, RV 242, Per Pisendel and Concerto for Violin, Op. 8, No. 5, La tempesta di mare and Telemann’s Concerto for Three Violins. Telemann’s Viola Concerto, the first-ever composed for the viola, showcases the deeper, warm tones of the instrument. H+H Principal Viola Karina Schmitz will capture the artistry of the composer, offering an effervescent, memorable melody line.
With an impressive history in performing Italian Baroque music, the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra will bring their excellence to all of the compositions, highlighting the pure, inspiring melody of Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in F Major, Op. 6, No. 2, the evocative moments of Muffat’s Concerto Grosso No. 12 in G Major, Propitia Sydera, and the soothing and joyful expressive stories found in Geminiani’s Concerto Grosso, After Corelli, Op. 6, No. 5 in G Minor.
“The H+H Orchestra excels in performing pieces from the Italian Baroque era, bringing a wide range of emotions to the drama and vitality associated with these incredible pieces,” said H+H President and CEO David Snead. “Led by Aisslinn Nosky, the orchestra brings forward the melodies and moods of these pieces in a manner unmatched by others, keeping the performance true to the spirit and intention of the composer.”
2018-19 Season Subscriptions are on sale now. Tickets for individual performances may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.
H+H’s 2018–19 Season Remaining Performances include:
Mozart + Haydn – January 25 + 27 at Symphony Hall
Glories of the Italian Baroque – February 22 + 24 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 – March 8 + 10 at Symphony Hall
Purcell Dido and Aeneas – March 29 + 31 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Mozart Requiem – May 3 + 5 at Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
The Handel and Haydn Society is internationally acclaimed for its performances of Baroque and Classical music. Based in Boston, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners each year with a nine concert subscription series at Symphony Hall and other leading venues, in addition to a robust program of intimate events in museums, schools, and community centers. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Harry Christophers, the ensemble embraces historically informed performance, bringing classical music to life with the same immediacy it had the day it was written. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H also provides engaging, accessible, and broadly inclusive music education to thousands of children each year. Founded in Boston in 1815, H+H is among the oldest continuously performing classical music ensembles in the United States, and is unique for its longevity, capacity for reinvention, and distinguished history of premieres. For more information, visit handelandhaydn.org.