EM/NY Announces HAYDN IN ESTERHAZY - Genial Kapellmeister

HAYDN IN ESTERHÁZY

Genial Kapellmeister

Saturday, March 3 at First Church of Christ, Scientist

For the first time in a decade, Frederick Renz, Director of Early Music New York (EM/NY) and conductor of its chamber orchestra, will devote an entire program to a single composer. "Haydn in Esterházy - Genial Kapellmeister" will be performed on Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m., at the First Church of Christ, Scientist, located at Central Park West and 68th Street, in New York's historic Lincoln Square neighborhood.

Joseph "Papa" Haydn drew upon an inexhaustible well of creativity to make revolutionary contributions to the development of the symphony, among other genres. "His compositional genius," in the words of Mr. Renz, "epitomizes 18th-century classical style.

"Within the scope of a single program, we can explore a wide range of forms and contrasting moods, from 'Sturm und Drang' to buoyant positivity. It's hard to believe all these works flowed from the pen of the same man, though he imbued them all with geniality and his trademark sense of humor. That he achieved so much in relative isolation at Esterházy, The Family seat of the Hungarian princes whom he served as Kapellmeister, makes his accomplishment all the more remarkable."

Celebrated primarily as a composer of instrumental works, Haydn wrote for the theatre as well. Three compositions on this program have a connection to his stage works: the opera overture is almost a miniature symphony, and the two bona fide symphonies both contain music repurposed from incidental music he wrote for the stage. Indeed, like many great composers, Haydn was a champion recycler: For instance, he found a way to re-work music he composed for the lira organizzata, a hurdy-gurdy-like instrument uniquely popular at the royal court of Naples, into a series of concerti and notturni featuring flute and oboe, one of which is included on the program.

March is designated as Early Music Month by the service organization Early Music America; it is also the month in which Haydn was born. We honor both with this program.

Concert Information

HAYDN IN ESTERHÁZY

Genial Kapellmeister

Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 7:30 pm

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Central Park West at 68th Street, NYC

Program

(subject to change)

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Symphony No. 34 in d minor (H.I:34), ca. 1766

Notturno No. 27 in G (H.II: 27), 1788-90, rev. 1792

L'isola disabitata: Overture (H.Ia:13), 1779

Symphony No. 63 in C, "Roxelane" (H.I:63, version 2), 1779

Early Music New York - Frederick Renz, Director

Tickets

$40.00 reserved seats, $20.00 student (w/valid ID, available at door, day of)

Tickets available by phone (212-280-0330), on-line (www.EarlyMusicNY.org) and at the door, half an hour prior to performance. Group discounts available by telephone. All major credit cards accepted.

About the Artists

FREDERICK RENZ - DIRECTOR

Frederick Renz, Founder/Director of the Early Music Foundation, is internationally acclaimed for his work as a conductor, producer, director, performer and scholar, presenting music and music drama from the eleventh through the eighteenth centuries. He has received commissions from the Spoleto Festival, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, as well as individual grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ingram Merrill Foundation. Maestro Renz has been awarded a doctorate honoris causa by the State University of New York, Fredonia.

EARLY MUSIC NEW YORK / EARLY MUSIC FOUNDATION

Early Music Foundation (EMF), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1974, is Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City. Under the leadership of Frederick Renz, EMF's mission is to foster public understanding and appreciation of music and music drama from the eleventh through the eighteenth centuries.

EMF presents the historical performance ensemble and orchestra EARLY MUSIC NEW YORK - FREDERICK RENZ, DIRECTOR; operates the recording label Ex cathedra Records; and a administers a service-to-the-field project, "New York Early Music Central" (NYEMC), sponsoring/managing city-wide festivals serving the NYC historically-informed artist community.

Now in its forty-third season, Early Music New York reaps international acclaim for vibrant and provocative performances of historically informed repertoire from the medieval through the classical eras.

About the Venue

The First Church of Christ, Scientist is located in the heart of the Lincoln Square neighborhood, within the landmark Central Park West Historic District. Designed by Frederick Comstock, the copper-domed Beaux-Arts-style edifice dates from the turn of the 20th century, when it was built and originally dedicated as the Second Church of Christ, Scientist.

About its square-proportioned auditorium, NYC-Arts says, "With raked seating, First Church of Christ, Scientist's ambient and acoustical clarity is an ideal venue for chamber and orchestra performance."