Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (7/20/21)

Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra
Richard Egarr, Conductor • Rowan Pierce, Soprano

Christopher Gibbons (1615/20–1676) – Fantasy in A minor
John Blow (1649–1708) – 3 Songs – [Ya know what? I’m not going to name every one; you’ll see why later.]
Matthew Locke (1621/23–1677) – Curtain Tune from The Tempest
Henry Purcell – (1659–1695) – 3 Songs
Purcell – Chaconne from King Arthur
Purcell – 13 selections from Fairy Queen (do you see now why I didn’t name every movement of every work?)
N.B. * = soprano soloist

A slight explanation is needed here. In this case, a baroque orchestra is played by string players using baroque-era instruments—a double bass from 1648 to violins from c. 1800. Could I hear a difference? I could not. Was more tuning necessary? It was. Was a theorbo involved? It was. (For those of you in the know, I have explained theorbos in the past. For the rest of you, Google/Yahoo! is your friend.)

On to the music. The opening work was calm, with increasing volume, though rather staid. The second work added the soprano* soloist. The first movement was jaunty, with florid writing (many notes and runs on a single syllable). After re-tuning the theorbo (^^ see more tuning, above), the second movement was slower and calmer, yet still with energy. The third movement was a sweet waltz, with an emphasis on sweet, and was my favorite of the three.

The third work had a quiet opening, then a quick build-up, then a back-and-forth section, in a changeable way—a real Tempest feel. (This compositional style is representative of the era.)

The first* Henry Purcell song was similar to the John Blow pieces (soloist* and continuo (harpsichord and theorbo/guitar)), with a narrative, story-telling feel that was dramatic at times. The second (also sung) was calmer but still very pretty; the third switched back and forth between calm and more quick sections. The Purcell Chaconne featured the entire ensemble of strings in a pleasant dance form, without being overdone.

After intermission, my notes are a hot mess. Thirteen movements? Fading light? Movements that seemed to change order? Here’s my best take.
Lively opening that was not quite an overture, but close / Pleasant dance / * Waltz song with two verses / Jaunty dance (Fairies) / Rousing dance (Haymakers) / Slightly more relaxed dance (Monkeys, though they then got frisky and cute) / * The Plaint (O Let Me Weep—properly plaintive) / Quite a jaunty dance (Hornpipe) / A gentle dance / * A song not quite as plaintive as The Plaint, but cut from the same cloth / the last three selections sort of blurred together, without quite a big finish, but it was close.

There was a well-deserved * folk song encore.

ConcertMeister

Naumburg Orchestral Concerts (7/6/21)

A Far Cry

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)
Holberg Suite Op. 40 (1884)
Praeludium; Sarabande; Gavotte; Air; Rigaudon
Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (I’m not making this up, you know) (1745–1799)
Sinfonia Concertante, Op. 13, No. 1 in E-flat major (1778)
Allegro, Rondeau …

As I was going to the concert site, the wind was whipping. As I left my second bus, the rain was massive. Being the Pollyanna that I am, I said, “This too shall pass.” For a while, it did. The first four (of five) movements of the Grieg were played in drizzle. The first was brisk and energetic, with a very sweet tune in the violin—cheerful and almost muscular at times. The second was calmer … I stopped writing … can’t write while holding an umbrella. The Gavotte was fun. The Air was plaintive but enjoyable. The Rigaudon … was not played.

Weather dictated a break (and the rain never really stopped).
After the weather break, they played the Rigaudon, which was energetic and fun. I packed it in after that. Too wet and dismal for me. I heard portions of the Sinfonia as I left Central Park.

I heard later, on WQXR, that the entire concert was performed, and die-hard fans stayed until the end.

It was raining (with lightning) when I left the concert. It was raining when I got on my first, of two, buses home. It was raining when I got on my second, of two, buses home. It was raining when I got home. I think I made the right choice.

p.s. A Far Cry is a great Boston-based group that I have heard before and commented on before. I urge you to Google/Yahoo! them.
ConcertMeister
(Or should I say WetMeister?)