Monday, April 25
American Bach Soloists, Jeffrey Thomas, Artistic Director
“Easter & Ascension Oratorios” Bach composed impressive oratorios for three important occasions within the Lutheran calendar: Christmas, Easter, and the Feast of the Ascension. Completing the trilogy begun in December (see December 12-13 for “Christmas Oratorio”), ABS will perform the composer’s exuberant “Easter Oratorio” (Oster-Oratorium, BWV 249) and “Ascension Oratorio” (Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen, BWV 11). Pulling out all the stops for these jubilant works—trumpets, timpani, flutes, oboes, recorders, strings, and voices—Bach composed joyful, extroverted music, tempered by exquisite moments of reflective calm. Along with these masterworks from Bach’s mature years in Leipzig, Thomas and his ABS forces will perform an Ascension cantata by Bach’s predecessor Johann Kuhnau and Heut triumphieret Gottes Sohn (“Today God’s Son Triumphs”), a work for Easter by one of Bach’s important musical influences, Dieterich Buxtehude. With soloists Clara Rottsolk, soprano; Eric Jurenas, countertenor; Zachary Wilder, tenor; and Joshua Copeland, bass.
7 PM
Davis Community Church
412 C Street, Davis
$30–$72
Tickets online or 415-621-7900
Wednesday, April 27
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven and Mendelssohn: Hymns of Praise” It was Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” that inspired Mendelssohn to compose his most profound music. Declarations of personal faith that have moved audiences for over a century: Elijah, St. Paul and the Hymn of Praise. Hear Beethoven’s tender Elegiac Song (Elegischer Gesang) and Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage (Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt), then Mendelssohn’s monumental Hymn of Praise (Lobgesang, Symphony No. 2) sung by the combined chorale forces of Philharmonia Chorale, UC Berkeley, and Stanford in this rare period-instrument performance. With Dominique Labelle, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director, with guest choruses from UC Berkeley and Stanford.
7:30 PM
Bing Concert Hall
Stanford University, Palo Alto
Currently at capacity. Sign up for notification of released tickets.
Thursday, April 28
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven and Mendelssohn:Hymns of Praise” It was Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” that inspired Mendelssohn to compose his most profound music. Declarations of personal faith that have moved audiences for over a century: Elijah, St. Paul and the Hymn of Praise. Hear Beethoven’s tender Elegiac Song (Elegischer Gesang) and Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage (Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt), then Mendelssohn’s monumental Hymn of Praise (Lobgesang, Symphony No. 2) sung by the combined chorale forces of Philharmonia Chorale, UC Berkeley, and Stanford in this rare period-instrument performance. With Dominique Labelle, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director, with guest choruses from UC Berkeley and Stanford.
8 PM
Herbst Theatre
401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
$25–$105
Tickets online or 415-295-1900
Friday, April 29
Barefoot Chamber Concerts
“Infinite Geste—The French Music that Refused to Quit” The house band returns, this time with harpsichordist Andy Canepa, in a program of French music of unashamedlydramatic proportions. No polite need apply, it’s all over the top here. Lovely, though. The program contains programmatic music (sounds weird, but that actually makes more sense than when the can of nuts says “contains nuts”) by the usual flashy suspects: Marais, Forqueray and the ever popular Anon. The unusual is represented by a set of arrangements of a Rameau ballet by Ludwig Christian Hesse (the last of the great viol players) for the court of Frederic the Great. The ballet in question, “Les Sybarites” tells the tale of the conflict between the effeminate arts-and-music-and-luxury loving inhabitants of Sybaris, and the proud warriors of nearby Croton, who wish to invade, in the worst way. This being a ballet for the French court, everyone gets their way, in what can only be described as a satisfactory ending. Rameau for viols! Yes, you can have it all!
6 PM
Parish Hall, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
2300 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
Tickets $15 (new unitary ticket price) 18 and under admitted free and welcome.
Purchase at the door or reserve in advance online.
Healing Muses
Join us for the next in a continuing series of concerts in celebration & support of Healing Muses. Featuring Muse Shira Kammen & clown/storyteller Jeff Raz performing the Arthurian tale “Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle, and Muse Margaret Davis with Broceliande playing Celtic music from the British isles and Medieval and Renaissance music of the European courts and countrysides. Come for the music and in addition enjoy a silent auction of services and stuff, including: a lesson with a Muse, a one-hour therapeutic massage, and a restored fiddle! Plus homemade pies!!
6:30–10:30 PM (chat & snacks at 6:30)
Arlington Community Church
52 Arlington Ave, Kensington
$25
Tickets online
If you cannot attend but want to donate, please visit our website www.healingmuses.org.
Saturday, April 30
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven and Mendelssohn: Hymns of Praise” It was Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” that inspired Mendelssohn to compose his most profound music. Declarations of personal faith that have moved audiences for over a century: Elijah, St. Paul and the Hymn of Praise. Hear Beethoven’s tender Elegiac Song (Elegischer Gesang) and Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage (Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt), then Mendelssohn’s monumental Hymn of Praise (Lobgesang, Symphony No. 2) sung by the combined chorale forces of Philharmonia Chorale, UC Berkeley, and Stanford in this rare period-instrument performance. With Dominique Labelle, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director, with guest choruses from UC Berkeley and Stanford.
8 PM
First Congregational Church
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley
$25–$105
Tickets online or 415-295-1900
Sunday, May 1
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, Nicholas McGegan, Conductor
“Beethoven and Mendelssohn: Hymns of Praise” It was Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” that inspired Mendelssohn to compose his most profound music. Declarations of personal faith that have moved audiences for over a century: Elijah, St. Paul and the Hymn of Praise. Hear Beethoven’s tender Elegiac Song (Elegischer Gesang) and Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage (Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt), then Mendelssohn’s monumental Hymn of Praise (Lobgesang, Symphony No. 2) sung by the combined chorale forces of Philharmonia Chorale, UC Berkeley, and Stanford in this rare period-instrument performance. With Dominique Labelle, soprano; Thomas Cooley, tenor; and the Philharmonia Chorale, Bruce Lamott, director, with guest choruses from UC Berkeley and Stanford.
7:30 PM
First Congregational Church
2345 Channing Way, Berkeley
$25–$105
Tickets online or 415-295-1900
University of California Music Department
University Baroque Ensemble, Davitt Moroney, Director, performs works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Louis-Antoine Dornel, Antonio Vivaldi, Jean-Philippe Rameau, and Georg Philipp Telemann
3 PM
Hertz Concert Hall
University of California, Berkeley Campus
Tickets online or 510-642-9988
[email protected], 510-642-4864
Continue reading next week’s calendar . . .
