The Handel and Haydn Society Presents Haydn + Saint-Georges

The Handel and Haydn Society will celebrate two Classical masters with their final performance of the spring season. Directed by concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky, the H+H Orchestra will expertly perform works by Haydn and Joseph Bologne the Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Both pieces will be H+H premieres.

Haydn + Saint-Georges will be available for free, with a suggested donation of $10, through the Handel and Haydn Society website at handelandhaydn.org/streaming-concerts/, and on the H+H Facebook and YouTube channels. The concert will stream on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET, and will be available for one month. H+H season subscribers and donors of $100 or more will receive additional content and early access to the performance two days before the public.

A delightful juxtaposition of two of the greatest composers and trendsetters of the 18th century, the performance will begin with the Allegro (1st movement) of the Violin Concerto in G Major, Op. 2, No. 1 of Joseph Bologne. This violin concerto stunned Parisian society. It is full of charm, wit, and virtuosity. His performance created a sensation and launched his remarkable musical career. Born the son of an enslaved person, Chevalier de Saint-Georges went on to become one of the first known Classical composers of African descent. He was also the concertmaster of the orchestra that commissioned Haydn's Paris symphonies.

The stream will also include Joseph Haydn's lyrical Symphony No. 43, Mercury. A quintessential example of Haydn's best symphony writing, the Symphony No. 43 is a vehicle for the whole orchestra to shine and will be a contrast to the solo virtuosity of the violin concerto. Scored for strings, two oboes, and two horns the H+H Orchestra will include members of the woodwind and brass sections for the first time this season, marking the largest performance for H+H since the pandemic began.

"We are absolutely delighted to be able to present some of our wonderful wind players in this concert," said Nosky. "We have missed them and their talent so much over the past few months and we are eager to have them back to play some celebratory music!"

Haydn + Saint-Georges will begin streaming Tuesday, May 25, 2021. Anyone wishing to view the concert is asked to register now through the Handel and Haydn Society website at https://handelandhaydn.org/concerts/streaming-concerts-2020-21/haydn-st-georges/.

The Handel and Haydn Society's 2020-21 Season Performances include:

Mozart A Little Night Music May 4, 2021 Streaming online

Haydn + Saint-Georges May 25, 2021 Streaming online

A broad offering of H+H digital content can be found on the Watch + Listen page of its website.

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