Handel & Haydn Announce 2012-2013 Season, To Include Bach’s Magnificat

The Handel and Haydn Society (H&H) and Artistic Director Harry Christophers announce the 2012–2013 Season, featuring the Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus performing works of the masters of the Baroque and Classical. The 2012–2013 Season continues H&H's exploration of historically significant works introduced and premiered in the US by the Handel and Haydn Society as part of the preparations for the Bicentennial celebrations in 2015. The cornerstone of the upcoming season is Handel's Jephtha, premiered in America by H&H in 1855 and last performed in 1867.

"I take great pride in revisiting H&H's repertoire and bringing back gems that have not been heard by audiences in several years - Bach's Christmas Oratorio and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 - alongside works that have not been performed, such as Haydn's G Major Violin Concerto and Henri-Joseph Rigel's Symphony in C Minor. I'm also gratified to highlight works that are connected to our Bicentennial celebrations. This is reflected in our performances of two great Handel oratorios next season: in addition to our 159th annual performances of Messiah (which we premiered in 1818), we will present our first performances of Jephtha in over 150 years. The work is as dramatic as Messiah and exemplifies the genius of Handel's writing. It particularly pleases me to have the chance to present Purcell's The Indian Queen, one of my personal favorites by the greatest English composer." – Harry Christophers

The season will showcase a wealth of established artists such as Bernard Labadie and Richard Egarr, frequent guest conductors at H&H; H&H harpsichordist Ian Watson and Associate Conductor and Chorusmaster John Finney; and an impressive list of established guests, emerging artists, and H&H musicians featured in solo performances. With Christophers remaining at the helm through the Bicentennial in 2015, the Handel and Haydn Society continues to flourish under his leadership; it is expanding its musical and education efforts, growing its Boston community partnerships, and increasing audience development. Partnerships include a chamber music series at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; lectures at Boston Public Library branches; academic programs and performances at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and a conducting fellowship with the New England Conservatory's Master's program in Orchestral Conducting. The Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program brings a comprehensive music education program to students in grades 3 through 12 through four distinctive program components, including school visits, the Vocal Apprenticeship Program (encompassing the Singers, Youth Choir, Young Men's and Young Women's Choruses, and High School Soloists), Collaborative Youth Concerts, and masterclasses. The program brings Baroque and Classical music to well over 10,000 children each year in underserved communities in Greater Boston.

2012–2013 Season Highlights:

H&H opens the 12–13 Season with Harry Christophers conducting the resplendent Bach Magnificat, featuring the Handel and Haydn Society's Chorus, considered one of the finest in New England. Among other works by the master composer featured on the program are the Orchestral Suite No. 3, which contains the "Air on a G String," and Sinfonias from Cantatas 18 and 75, never before performed by H&H. The program closes with Cantata 71, the first of Bach's cantatas to use trumpets and timpani. "This will undoubtedly prove to be an uplifting opening to a truly enlightening season and one that showcases the collective and individual qualities of both of our Orchestra and Chorus alike," said Christophers.

Bernard Labadie, who last conducted H&H in 2010, returns to conduct Mozart's towering Symphony No. 41, Jupiter ­-his final symphony. Considered one of the greatest works of the 18th century, Jupiter foreshadows the work of Beethoven. The program pairs Mozart with another German composer, Henri-Joseph Rigel, who spent most of his adult life in France composing symphonies, string quartets, concertos, and 14 operas.

December brings the return of two H&H holiday favorites. Harry Christophers conducts the Chorus, Period Instrument Orchestra, and internationally acclaimed soloists in the 159th annual performance of Handel's dramatic Messiah. Canadian superstars soprano Karina Gauvin and countertenor Daniel Taylor, British tenor extraordinaire James Gilchrist, and local baritone Sumner Thompson will be featured in this season's unique rendition of the Boston holiday tradition. Later in the month, Associate Conductor and ChorusmasterJohn Finney leads Cantatas I, II, and VI from Bach's inspiring Christmas Oratorio.

H&H begins 2013 with Henry Purcell, considered "quite simply the greatest English composer of all time" by Artistic Director Harry Christophers. Purcell's last major work, The Indian Queen, will receive specialtreatment in this dramatic interpretation. Last performed by H&H in 1995, this semi-opera surrounds Queen Zempoalla of Mexico and focuses on her resistance against Montezuma's invading Peruvian army. Adapted from John Dryden's and Sir RoBert Howard's 1664 play, Purcell's brother Daniel completed the opera after his brother's death. "In this concert we are presenting scenes from [Purcell's] major works for the London stage ­- the hilarity of the Drunken Poet, being tormented by two mischievous fairies, from The Fairy Queen; the pictorial tour de force of Cold Genius with its extraordinary dissonances and literal stammering from King Arthur; and the last major work he wrote for the stage, The Indian Queen, which includes the conjuror Ismeron's 'You twice ten hundred deities,' perhaps the greatest 20 bars of recitative ever written in Baroque music. If you have never encountered Purcell's music before, this is a must," said Christophers.

In February, Christophers infuses new energy into Haydn with a program that showcases one of his Paris Symphonies, The Bear, a festive and jubilant work commissioned by a Parisian orchestra in the 1780s. After the smashing success of her Vivaldi The Four Seasons performances in 2012, H&H's fiery and expressive Concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky again takes the spotlight with Haydn's Violin Concerto in G Major, No. 4. The concert will be recorded for commercial release in September 2013.

Richard Egarr, returning after acclaimed sold out performances of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in 2011, takes Symphony Hall by storm in March with Beethoven's masterful Symphony No. 7. Renowned as one of the finest period clarinetists in the world, H&H principal Eric Hoeprich brings Mozart's playful clarinet concerto to life. Often considered the quintessential concerto for clarinet, Mozart wrote the piece for Anton Stadler, who premiered the work in 1791. Hoeprich will perform the concerto on a replica of the basset clarinet, the instrument that would have been used by Stadler for the premiere.

As spring arrives, H&H harpsichordist Ian Watson leads a dynamic program of Vivaldi and other Baroque luminaries.H&H's principal players demonstrate their virtuosity in a magnificent chamber concert of 18th-century music from Italian masters both at home andabroad. Each composer featured held a strong tie to Italy. Torelli, Locatelli, Durante, and Geminiani were all born in Italy; and Charles Avison based his 12 concerti grossi on music by the Italian composer Domenico Scarlatti.

The season culminates with Harry Christophers, considered one of the finest Handelians in the world, bringing Handel's Jephtha to Symphony Hall audiences for the first time since 1867. Premiered in the US by H&H in 1855, the Handel and Haydn Society's masterful Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus bring a legend to life: the oratorio tells the story of Jephtha, a commander for the Israelites against the Ammonites, and his daughter Iphis, who is betrothed to one of Jephtha's soldiers, Hamor. With a stellar cast, Christophers will enliven this dramatic story of passions and redemptions, and showcase the transformative powers of Handel's music. Robert Murray, tenor, will perform the title role. The cast also includes mezzo-soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers (Storge), soprano Joélle Harvey (Iphis), and countertenor William Purefoy (Hamor).

Recordings:
Mozart Coronation Mass, the third in a trilogy of Mozart CDs, will be released on the CORO label in September2012. Recorded live at Symphony Hall at the final concert of the 2011–2012 Season, the Coronation Mass will join the live recordings of Mozart's Mass in C Minor (September 2010) and Requiem (September 2011). The CORO label was launched in 2001 to record conductor and founder Harry Christophers' UK-based ensemble The Sixteen.

2012–2013 Season Subscription Information:
Subscriptions to the 2012–2013 Season are now available. Options include nine- and six-concert series as well as "Choose Your Own" packages. Packages range from three to nine concerts; package prices begin at only $60. Subscriptions may be purchased through the Handel and Haydn Box Office by phone at 617 266 3605, online at handelandhaydn.org, or in person at Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston (M–F 10am–6pm). Single tickets go on sale in August 2012.

2012–2013 Season Calendar:

Bach Magnificat
October 12, 2012, 8pm at Symphony Hall
October 14, 2012, 3pm at Symphony Hall
Harry Christophers, conductor
Handel and Haydn Society Chorus
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068
Bach: Cantata 71, Gott ist mein König (God Is My King)
Bach: Sinfonia from Cantata 18
Bach: Jesu, joy of man's desiring from Cantata 147
Bach: Sinfonia from Cantata 75
Bach: Magnificat in D Major, BWV 243

Mozart Jupiter
November 9, 2012, 8pm at Symphony Hall
November 11, 2012, 3pm at Symphony Hall
Bernard Labadie, conductor
Program to include:
Henri-Joseph Rigel: Symphony in C Minor, Op. 12, No. 4
Mozart: Symphony No. 41, Jupiter

Handel Messiah
November 30, 2012, 7.30pm at Symphony Hall
December 1, 2012, 3pm at Symphony Hall
December 2, 2012, 3pm at Symphony Hall
Harry Christophers, conductor
Handel and Haydn Society Chorus
Karina Gauvin, soprano
Daniel Taylor, countertenor
James Gilchrist, tenor
Sumner Thompson, baritone
Handel: Messiah

Bach Christmas Oratorio
December 13, 2012, 8pm at Jordan Hall
December 16, 2012, 3pm at Jordan Hall
John Finney, conductor
Handel and Haydn Society Chorus
Bach: Cantatas I, II, and VI from ChristmasOratorio

Purcell The Indian Queen
January 25, 2013, 8pm at Jordan Hall
January 27, 2013, 3pm at Sanders Theatre
Harry Christophers, conductor
Handel and Haydn Society Chorus
Henry Purcell: "Scene of the Drunken Poet" from The Fairy Queen
Daniel Purcell: "The Masque of Hymen" from The Indian Queen
Henry Purcell: "The Frost Scene" from King Arthur
Henry Purcell: The Indian Queen (Music for Acts 1–5)

Haydn in Paris
February 22, 2013, 8pm at Symphony Hall
February 24, 2013, 3pm at Symphony Hall
Harry Christophers, conductor
Aisslinn Nosky, violin
Haydn: Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Le matin
Haydn: Violin Concerto No. 4 in G Major
Haydn: Overture to L'isola disabitata
Haydn: Symphony No. 82 in C Major, The Bear

Beethoven Symphony No. 7
March 15, 2013, 8pm at Symphony Hall
March 17, 2013, 3pm at Symphony Hall
Richard Egarr, conductor
Eric Hoeprich, clarinet
Mozart: Masonic Funeral Music, K. 477
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622
Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 82

Vivaldi Virtuosi
April 5, 2013, 8pm at Jordan Hall
April 7, 2013, 3pm at Jordan Hall
Ian Watson, director and harpsichord
Vivaldi: Sinfonia, Il coro delle Muse, RV. 149
Locatelli: Introduzione in D Major, Op. 4, No. 5
Avison: Concerto Grosso No. 6 in D Major, after Scarlatti
Geminiani: Concerto grosso detto La follia
Vivaldi: Concerto for violin, cello, and organ in C Major, RV. 554a
Torelli: Sinfonia for two violins and cello
Durante: Concerto a cinque in A Major
Vivaldi: Concerto in B Minor for 4 violins, RV. 580

Handel Jephtha
May 3, 2013, 7.30pm at Symphony Hall
May 5, 2013, 3pm at Symphony Hall
Harry Christophers, conductor
Handel and Haydn Society Chorus
Robert Murray, tenor (Jephtha)
Catherine Wyn-Rogers, mezzo-soprano (Storge)
Joélle Harvey, soprano (Iphis)
William Purefoy, countertenor (Hamor)
Handel: Jephtha

Works by Composer:

Avison
Concerto Grosso No. 6 in D Major, after Scarlatti

J.S. Bach
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068
Cantata 71, Gott ist mein König (God Is My King)
Sinfonia fromCantata 18
Jesu, joy of man's desiring from Cantata 147
Sinfonia fromCantata 75
Magnificat in D, BWV 243
Cantatas I, II, and VI from Christmas Oratorio

Beethoven
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 82

Durante
Concerto a cinque in A Major

Geminiani
Concerto grosso detto La follia

Handel
Messiah
Jephtha

Haydn
Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Le matin
Violin Concerto No. 4 in G Major
Overture to L'isola disabitata
Symphony No. 82 in C Major, The Bear

Locatelli
Introduzione in D Major, Op. 4, No. 5

Mozart
Symphony No. 41, Jupiter
Masonic Funeral Music, K. 477
Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622

Daniel Purcell
"The Masque of Hymen" from The Indian Queen

Henry Purcell
"Scene of the Drunken Poet" from The Fairy Queen
"The Frost Scene" from King Arthur
The Indian Queen (Music for Acts 1–5)

Henri-Joseph Rigel
Symphony in CMinor, Op. 12, No. 4

Torelli
Sinfonia for two violins and cello

Vivaldi
Sinfonia, Il coro delle Muse, RV. 149
Concerto for violin, cello, and organ in C Major, RV. 554a
Concerto in B Minor for 4 violins, RV. 580

2012–2013 Guest Artists, Soloists, and Conductors:

Harry Christophers, conductor
Richard Egarr, conductor
John Finney, conductor
Karina Gauvin, soprano
James Gilchrist, tenor
Joélle Harvey, soprano
Eric Hoeprich, clarinet
Bernard Labadie, conductor
Robert Murray, tenor
Aisslinn Nosky, violin
William Purefoy, countertenor
Daniel Taylor, countertenor
Sumner Thompson, baritone
Ian Watson, director and harpsichord
Catherine Wyn-Rogers, mezzo-soprano

HARRY CHRISTOPHERS
Harry Christophers enters his fourth season as Artistic Director of the Handel and Haydn Society with the 2012–2013 Season. Since September 2006, when he led a sold-out performance in the Esterházy Palace at the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, he has conducted Handel and Haydn each season and, following his appointment in 2008, Christophers' tenure as Artistic Director began with the 2009–2010 Season. Christophers and Handel and Haydn have since embarked on an ambitious artistic journey with a showcase of works premiered in the United States by the Handel and Haydn Society over the last 198 years, and the release of the first of a series of recordings on CORO leading to the 2015 Bicentennial. Christophers is founder and conductor of the UK-based choir and period instrument ensemble The Sixteen. He has directed The Sixteen throughout Europe, America, and the Far East, gaining a distinguished reputation for his work in Renaissance, Baroque, and 20th-century music. In 2000, he instituted The Sixteen's "Choral Pilgrimage," a tour of British cathedrals from York to Canterbury. With that ensemble, he has recorded close to 100 titles for which he has won numerousawards, including a Grand Prix du Disque for Handel Messiah, numerous Preise der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik (German Record Critics Awards), the coveted Gramophone Award for Early Music, and the prestigious Classical Brit Award (2005) for his disc entitled Renaissance. In 2009, he received one of classical music's highest accolades, the Classic FM Gramophone Awards Artist of the Year Award, and The Sixteen won the Baroque Vocal Award for Handel Coronation Anthems, a CD that also received a 2010 Grammy Award nomination. Harry Christophers is also Principal Guest Conductor of the Granada Symphony Orchestra and a regular guest conductor with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and the Orquestra de la Comunidad de Madrid. In October 2008, Christophers was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Leicester. Most recently, he was elected an Honorary Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford and also of the Royal Welsh Academy for Music and Drama.

ABOUT HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY
Handel and Haydn Society (H&H) is a professional Period Instrument Orchestra and Chorus and an internationally recognize­d leader in the field of Historically Informed Performance, a revelatory style that uses the instruments and techniques of the composer's time. Founded in Boston in 1815, H&H is considered the oldest continuously performing arts organization in the United States and has a longstanding commitment to excellence and innovation: it gave the American premieres of Handel's Messiah (1818), Haydn's The Creation (1819), Verdi's Requiem (1878), and Bach's St. Matthew Passion (1879). Handel and Haydn today, under Artistic Director Harry Christophers' leadership, is committed to its mission to perform Baroque and Classical music at the highest levels of artistic excellence and to share that music with as large and diverse an audience as possible. H&H is widely known through its local subscription series, tours, concert broadcasts on WGBH/99.5 Classical New England and National Public Radio, and recordings. Its recording of Sir John Tavener's Lamentations and Praises won a 2003 Grammy Award and two of its recordings, All is Bright and Peace, appearedsimultaneously in the top ten on Billboard Magazine's classical music chart. In September 2010, H&H released its first collaboration with Harry Christophers on the CORO label, Mozart Mass in C Minor-the first in a series of live commercial recordings leading to H&H's Bicentennial in 2015. The 2010–2011 Season marked the 25th anniversary of Handel and Haydn's award-winning Karen S. and George D. Levy Educational Outreach Program, which brings music education, vocal training, and performance opportunities to 10,000 students annually throughout Greater Boston and beyond.

The Handel and Haydn Society is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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