Coming from the Music City Baroque
Preview: Baroque Crossroads: A Celebration of Italian, German, and French Styles
Directory: Music City Baroque
There is much that can be said about Baroque performance practices. During my attempts at playing Bach during my undergraduate, I came across multiple ways of playing eighth notes; the more widely accepted method, I have been told, is to play them short, as a harpsichord would have plucked its strings, but, I also was instructed by a more Romantic teacher, to slur groupings of eighth notes to create a more legato sound. Surely, there are many more theories on the correct method of playing eighth notes out there. This makes listening to a group of musicians dedicated to playing Baroque music authentically even more of a treat.
Music City Baroque, directed by Maria Romero, is dedicated to performing the most authentic interpretations of Baroque music and engaging in the large range of human experiences conveyed in Baroque music. Music City Baroque is joined by celebrated soprano, Mary Wilson and natural trumpet player, Kathryn Adduci. Mary is well-known for her exciting coloratura passages and interpretations of Baroque repertoire while Kathryn, an Australian native, is both a successful modern and baroque trumpet player.
This Sunday, Music City Baroque will showcase a variety of styles from different countries in Europe through the music composed by Telemann, Handel, Guerre, and J. S. Bach. It comes as no surprise that all but one composer listed is German. During the Baroque period, German composers often incorporated the styles of other countries into their music. It was common to see French, Italian, and even Polish elements in their works. This was one of the reasons for German music’s wide appeal. Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was one of the most prolific composers of his time. He picked up elements from the countries he visited, some of which you will hear in Sunday’s program. Overture Suite in A Minor (TWV 55:a2) includes an eclectic arrangement of movements: “Air à l’Italienne” or “An Italian Air”, a Passepied which is a common dance in a fast triple meter often employed by the French, and even a Polish Polonaise. Next for your listening pleasure, are four of the Nine Italian Arias composed by our friend George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), the German turned-English composer. You can expect to hear beautiful legato lines and lively melismatic phrases sung by Mary Wilson in this set before we skip across the pond to France to hear female composer Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729). Guerre was a fascinating person and held a unique position as a female composer in the court of King Louis XIV and as the first female in France to publish an opera, Céphale et Procris. Sunday will offer the opportunity to listen to Guerre’s Sonata in G minor; composed for flute and violin, with an extended cello solo. Be on the lookout for a mixture of French and Italian styles. Finally, finishing off the concert strong is a cantata by J. S. Bach (1685-1750), one of the larger-than-life figures of the Baroque era, complete with demanding solos for soprano and trumpet.
Please join Music City Baroque on Sunday, February 2nd, at 3:30 PM at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville for an afternoon of informed, expressive music-making as they present Baroque Crossroads: A Celebration of Italian, German, and French Styles.
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Sarah Queener is a soprano currently based in Middle Tennessee. Her interest in music began at a young age, starting with taking piano lessons. She later transferred her musical interests to pursuing voice and earned her bachelor’s in Vocal Performance. She currently resides in the Murfreesboro area and is a second-year vocal performance master’s student at Middle Tennessee State University.
