Running Time: 45 minutes
Essence of Enlightenment
Three distinctive and engrossing short programmes performed and devised by principal players from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and showcasing music from great Baroque composers including Purcell and Bach, as well as gems from lesser-known composers such as Böhm and Locke. The players from this orchestra are renowned for their historical expertise, virtuosic abilities on period instruments and forward-looking flair in performing and communicating.
Dieterich Buxtehude (c.1637-1707) Praeludium in G minor, BuxWV 163
Georg Böhm (1661-1733) Suite No. 2 in D major
J S Bach (1685-1750) Italian Concerto in F major, BWV 971
Steven Devine harpsichord
Dieterich Buxtehude, long-time organist of the Marienkirche in the north German city of Lubeck, left a substantial body of keyboard music. His Praeludium in G minor for organ without pedals, although commonly called ‘Prelude and Fugue', in fact contains three short, contrasting fugues (the second with perhaps coincidental pre-echoes of Handel's Messiah), framed and separated by quasi-improvisatory fantasia sections.
Georg Böhm, organist of the Johanniskirche in Luneburg for many years, probably knew both Buxtehude and Bach. His Suite in D major is a keyboard imitation of the popular Franco-German form of the orchestral dance suite, beginning with a substantial French-style Overture, and ending with an unusual Chaconne which uses a whole selection of stock bass patterns, repeating each a few times then moving on to the next.
Bach included a similar ‘Overture after the French manner' in Part II of his Clavierübung (Keyboard Re-creation), published in 1735 - alongside the ‘Concerto after the Italian Taste'. This uses the contrast between the two manuals of the harpsichord to suggest a soloist standing out from an orchestra in the brilliant outer movements, and in the central Andante to allow the floridly ornamented melody to sing out over its ostinato accompaniment.
Multi-buy Offers: Book tickets and save money
NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE
To receive the multi-buy offers detailed below, please contact our Box Office on 020 7520 1490. The discount will be offered on the online price.
3+ events save 10%
6+ events saves 15%
10+ events save 20%
The same number of tickets must be booked for each event to qualify for the discount.
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Date: Friday 10 September
Time: 19:00
Venue: Hall One
Please note that online booking closes 90 minutes prior to the start of the performance.
