British Rhapsody
Sunday, November 5 at 3pm & Monday, November 6 at 7pm
William Boyce Symphony No. 8 in D minor
Domenico Scarlatti Sonatas in D Major and B minor
Charles Avison Concerto Grosso No. 12 in D Major
Henry Purcell instrumental selections from The Fairy Queen
Boyce Symphony No. 2 in A Major
Avison Concerto Grosso No. 8 in E minor
Soloist:
Tami Morse, harpsichord
We are pleased to present this concert celebrating British instrumental Baroque music! We regret that our soloists are unable to appear due to a family emergency. The original Fairy Queen program will be presented in the 24/25 season.
Tickets available online and at the door
Questions?
Email: adminmbe@mnbach.org
We have changed the program due to unforeseen circumstances, but we are maintaining the original program’s geographic theme. The concert will be a celebration of British instrumental music, featuring compositions by Charles Avison, William Boyce, and Henry Purcell.
Besides writing music, Avison also authored significant essays on composition in which he opined about the perfect balance of harmony and melody. He was a student of Italian composer, Francesco Geminiani, and his works retain a distinct Italianate influence. This is exemplified in his set of concerti grossi based on works by Domenico Scarlatti. We will pair two of Avison’s concerti grossi with two of Scarlatti’s sonatas for solo harpsichord.
Boyce was a prolific composer, well regarded in his lifetime, with an impressive list of excellent works. He suffered from hearing loss, eventually resulting in deafness (like Beethoven), which lead to his retirement 20 years before his death. Boyce’s works are solidly embedded in the history of the British Monarchy and continue to be performed at royal events to this day, including the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and the coronation of Charles III. We will present two of Boyce’s symphonies on this program.
Of an earlier generation than Avison and Boyce, Henry Purcell is often regarded as the most important English composer. His boundless innovation in melody and harmony makes his music particularly expressive. We will perform a selection of instrumental movements from his theatrical magnum opus, The Fairy Queen.