2019/'20 Chatham Baroque + Renaissance & Baroque Concert Season Announced
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 30, 2019
1969 saw Nixon's swearing in, an escalation in Vietnam, a moon landing, and Woodstock. In that same year, a group of visionaries in Pittsburgh founded the Renaissance & Baroque Society, which over time became one of the oldest and most revered organizations of its kind in America. Chatham Baroque, meanwhile, has been performing on stages throughout the world for 29 years and has established itself as one of the nation's most distinguished period ensembles.
These two celebrated organizations joined forces in 2018 and today Chatham Baroque announced the second year of two parallel and complementary concert series featuring music that spans a full millennium, from the Middle Ages through the Classical period-a fitting way to honor the 50th anniversary year of Renaissance & Baroque. A celebration of this milestone will be held in May; details will be announced at a later date.
2019/'20 CHATHAM BAROQUE + RENAISSANCE & BAROQUE SERIES CONCERTS
The Four Nations Ensemble & Chatham Baroque
Foreign Accents: Sonatas and Cantatas by Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti
Friday, September 20, 2019, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair, 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 21, 2019, Synod Hall, Oakland, 8 PM
Sunday, September 22, 2019, Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University, 2:30 PM
The season begins with a special joint presentation of both the Renaissance & Baroque and Chatham Baroque series. The Four Nations Ensemble and Chatham Baroque unite to explore works written by some of the Baroque's most famous vocal composers in languages and styles beyond their homelands. The program features the luminous and beloved voice of soprano Pascale Beaudin and includes J.S. Bach's Italianate cantata "Non sa che sia dolore," Handel's Spanish cantata "No se emenderá jamás," French composer Montéclair's Italian cantata "Morte di Lucretia," and more.
Sylvia Berry (Philadelphia)
Haydn in London: Classical Sonatas on an Original 1806 Fortepiano
Saturday, October 5, 2019, Synod Hall, Oakland, 8 PM
One of North America's leading exponents of the fortepiano, Sylvia Berry makes her Pittsburgh debut with sonatas by Haydn and Clementi, and Beethoven's Variations on "God Save the King," performed on an original John Broadwood & Son fortepiano. For a time, Haydn lived down the street from the Broadwood fortepiano shop, and even used one of the shop's rooms for composing.
The historical instrument was made in London in 1806 and was featured in Ernest Closson's 1944 book History of the Piano. In 2007, it was acquired in Philadelphia by Dale Munschy, Ms. Berry's husband, who restored it in 2011 in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Chatham Baroque
Welcome to All the Pleasures: Henry Purcell's Odes to Saint Cecilia
Emily Norman Davidson Memorial Concert
Saturday, November 16, 2019 Synod Hall, Oakland, 8 PM
Sunday, November 17, 2019 Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University, 2:30 PM
Chatham Baroque welcomes Pittsburgh Camerata, under the direction of Mark Anderson, and countertenor Jay Carter for a colossal program featuring Henry Purcell's radiant choral music composed in homage to the patron saint of music, Saint Cecilia. Joining the choir are trumpets, tympani, oboes, recorders, keyboard and strings which are sure to "court the ear and strike the heart" in celebration of harmonies both earthly and celestial.
Chatham Baroque
Capriccio Stravagante: Imaginative String Music from the 16th and 17th Centuries
Thursday, December 5, 2019, St. Nicholas Church, Millvale, 7:30 PM
Friday, December 6, 2019, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair, 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 7, 2019, Hicks Memorial Chapel, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, East Liberty, 8 PM
Sunday, December 8, 2019, Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University, 2:30 PM
Celebrate the season with Chatham Baroque and indulge in Arcadian sonic delights with a rollicking, pastoral program including Corelli's Christmas Concerto, Carlo Farina's illustrative and faunal Capriccio Stravagante, and 16th-century dance music of Anthony Holborne and Michael Praetorius.
Benjamin Bagby & Sequentia (France)
Charms, Riddles, and Elegies of the Medieval Northlands
Tuesday, January 14, 2020, PNC Theatre at Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse, 7:30 PM
For this intense new program, legendary vocalist and harper Benjamin Bagby will be joined by his Sequentia colleagues Norbert Rodenkirchen, Hanna Marti and Stef Conner for a program of riddles, charms, and elegies of their medieval ancestors, the Anglo-Saxons and the Germanic tribes of the European Northlands. The featured instruments will include 6-string Germanic harps, triangular harps, wooden flutes and a swan-bone flute.
Chatham Baroque
The Art of the Trio
Friday, February 14, 2020, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair, 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 15, 2020, East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 8 PM
Sunday, February 16, 2020, Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University, 2:30 PM
This annual concert celebrates the collective virtuosity, talent, and teamwork of artistic directors Andrew Fouts, Patricia Halverson, and Scott Pauley as they continue their boundless exploration of intimate chamber music from the Baroque and beyond. Highlights include stylus fantasticus sonatas of Dietrich Buxtehude and Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, elegant dance suites of Philip Heinrich Erlebach and Nicola Matteis, and solo music featuring the baroque violin, viola da gamba, and baroque lute.
Venice Baroque Orchestra (Italy)
Baroque Concertos: Vivaldi and the Apotheosis of the Concerto in the 18th Century
February 29, 2020, Synod Hall, Oakland, 8 PM
Originating from the hometown of Antonio Vivaldi, Venice Baroque Orchestra has appeared in more cities across the United States than any other Baroque orchestra in history. This prestigious 18-member ensemble will add Pittsburgh to the list with a blockbuster program of five concertos and two sinfonias by Vivaldi, including his famous recorder concerto "Il Gardellino" or "The Goldfinch" (RV 428) and his double concerto for two cellos adapted for cello and violin (RV 531). Also on the program is Francesco Geminiani's catchy, crowd-pleasing concerto grosso in D minor, "La Follia."
Soloists:
Anna Fusek (recorder)
Gianpiero Zanocco (violin)
Massimo Raccanelli (cello)
East of the River (New York)
Hamsa: Music from Andalusia, the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, and the Sephardic Diaspora
March 14, 2020, Hicks Memorial Chapel, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, East Liberty, 8 PM
East of the River performs music of the Near East from Jewish and Ottoman traditions of the 13th through 18th centuries. Based on the melodic modal system referred to as the Maqam, this program draws its listeners to the distinct beauty of and similarities between liturgical, folk, and Ottoman courtly music. With Jesse Kotansky (violin), Kane Mathis ('oud), Nina Stern (recorders & chalumeau), Daphna Mor (recorders and voice), and John Hadfield (percussion).
Chatham Baroque
Les Nations: Music from the Time of Louis XIV and XV
Friday, April 3, 2020, St. Nicholas Church, Millvale, 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 4, 2020, Synod Hall, Oakland, 8 PM
Sunday, April 5, 2020, Campbell Memorial Chapel, Chatham University, 2:30 PM
A chamber ensemble of six players revels in music that defines the French national style, including François Couperin's Les Nations, a Paris Quartet by Georg Philipp Telemann, and instrumental suites by Marin Marais and Jean-Philippe Rameau.
Subscriptions are available for the Chatham Baroque series, the Renaissance & Baroque series or both - attend five or nine concerts at substantial savings. Tickets for individual concerts range from $10 to $35. For more information, or to purchase subscriptions and tickets, visit http://chathambaroque.org
CHATHAM BAROQUE'S PEANUT BUTTER & JAM SESSIONS
Listen. Play. Laugh. Learn.
Especially for preschool children and their accompanying grownups, Chatham Baroque's PB&J Sessions encourage young children to become active and enthusiastic listeners through music, dance and games. Kindermusik instructor Lynda Wingerd joins Chatham Baroque trio Andrew Fouts, Patty Halverson and Scott Pauley, along with an array of guest musicians, for Saturday morning musical adventures that are lively, educational--and fun!
McClintic Hall, Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside
Saturdays, 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM
Tickets: $8 adults / $5 children / free for children 2 and under
September 7
Say Darlin' Say, with guest Ellen Gozion (vocals and banjo)
Kicking off a new season of PB&J
with our friend Ellen, a banjo she'll play.
October 12
Miss Melody meets Mr. Harmony
Melody, harmony, rhythm combine,
it's just like magic and truly sublime.
November 16
The Airy Violin: Music of Henry Purcell, with guest Jay Carter (countertenor)
A real countertenor sings music by Purcell
for PB&J (as an extra rehearsal).
December 14
Sing we Noël
For our annual holiday singalong show
We'll sing songs like "White Christmas" and "Let it Snow."
January 4
What has teeth and plays music? With guest George Schnakenberg (musical saw)
Both sharp and in tune, it has teeth but no jaw,
It's George Schnakenberg's unique musical saw!
February 15
Meet the Viola d'amore... the true romantic! With guest Paul Miller (viola d'amore)
A rare chance to hear the "viola of love"
with strings down below and strings up above.
March 7
Let's be composers!
By using their wits and imaginations
composers produce their ingenious creations.
April 4
Music fit for a king, with guests Stephen Schultz (baroque flute) and Caroline Giassi (baroque oboe)
The oboe and flute and music from France
will make you so happy you'll get up and dance.
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