Friday, February 28 and Sunday, March 1, 2020 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Press performance is Friday, February 28 at 7:30 PM
Email for high-resolution images, interviews, press tickets, and more information
[Boston, MA – January 16, 2020] The Handel and Haydn Society will bring the music of Haydn and Beethoven to life in performances conducted by Jonathan Cohen on Friday, February 28, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 1, 2020, at 3 p.m. at New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall.
The Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra will perform Haydn’s Symphony No. 6, Le Matin and Symphony No. 92, Oxford, along with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1. Jonathan Cohen, a conductor, cellist, and keyboardist well-known for his passion and commitment to chamber music, will lead the Orchestra in this performance. Cohen is founder and artistic director of Archangelo, one of the world’s leading ensembles that bring together musicians who excel in both historical and modern instruments. Cohen also serves as music director of Les Violons du Roy, artistic director of Tetbury Festival, and an artistic partner of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. This will be Cohen’s debut with the Handel and Haydn Society.
Haydn’s Symphony No. 6, Le Matin (Morning) was written in 1761, the first symphonic work Haydn composed for Prince Paul II Anton Esterhazy. It is the first of three “Time of Day” symphonies composed by Haydn while in the Prince’s employment. Symphony No. 92, Oxford was completed in 1789, one of a set of three symphonies commissioned by the French Count d’Ogny. Known as the Oxford, it was this symphony that Haydn conducted at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theater in 1791, upon the awarding of his doctorate of music.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 premiered in Vienna in 1800, debuting Beethoven’s symphonic work to the world. Dedicated to Baron Gottfried Van Swieten, it was written at the dawn of a new century when Beethoven was just 29. As it bids farewell to the 18th century, the First Symphony steps into the future.
“Beethoven’s brilliant Symphony No. 1, prefaced by two sparkling Haydn symphonies, will be showcased by the exciting artistry of the H+H Orchestra,” said Handel and Haydn Society President and CEO David Snead. “We are thrilled to bring these grand classics to life on the instruments for which they were written, under the baton of Jonathan Cohen in his H+H debut.”
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.
The Handel and Haydn Society’s remaining 2019–20 Season Performances include:
Mozart + Haydn – Jan 24 + 26, 2020 at Symphony Hall
Beethoven + Mozart – Feb 14 + 16, 2020 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Haydn + Beethoven – Feb 28 + March 1, 2020 at NEC’s Jordan Hall
Bach St. Matthew Passion – April 3 + 5, 2020 at Symphony Hall
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons – May 1 + 3, 2020 at Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, a vitality, and a creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 205 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States). Today, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H’s numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. The artistic director of the Handel and Haydn Society is Harry Christophers. Under Christophers’s leadership, H+H has released 13 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.