Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809–1847)
Sinfonia No. 9 in C major, MWV N 9, ‘Swiss Symphony’ (completed 12 March 1823)

Overture in C major, Op. 24, ‘Nocturno’, MWV P 1
(Version for 11 wind instruments, dated: Berlin, 27 June 1826)

Sinfonia No. 8 in D major, MWV N 8, version for large orchestra (30 November 1822 to late February 1823)

L’Orfeo Barockorchestra
Michi Gaigg, conductor

Leipzig Street No. 3, 7 July
in the garden, 1826.

My dearest sister!
I wish I were a zander; for apart from the good taste, which I am very keen on and which is innate to all zanders, you also have the privilege of bathing all day long, and the water is 22°. Then you need not tailor your expressions, your courtly manners, nor your overtures; in short, they are happy creatures, compared to me …
(Felix to Fanny Mendelssohn Bartholdy in Bad Doberan)

From these lines, we can glimpse just how much effort composing cost Mendelssohn. As performers and as an audience, we consider ourselves as fortunate as the zander!

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)
The Messiah HWV 56
Oratorio in three parts (1742)

Lydia Teuscher, soprano
Melissa Zgouridi, alto
Virgil Hartinger, tenor
Daniel Okulitch, bass

Collegium Vocale Salzburg
L’Orfeo Barockorchester

Ivor Bolton, conductor

Get into the Christmas spirit with Handel’s timeless oratorio and experience the full range of Baroque emotions in a work of timeless beauty and overwhelming drama.

“Pure delight, pure joy”
Pre-Christmas music from 18th century Germany

German Baroque music to fit the special time around Advent. The programme includes cantatas composed for intimate domestic use, as well as gallant court music and music composed for the educated class. Works i.e. by Georg Philipp Telemann, Johann David Heinichen and Christian Ludwig Boxberg:

Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
“Lauter Wonne, lauter Freude”, cantata for the 4th Sunday of Advent TWV 1:1040
for high voice, recorder and b.c.
(from: Harmonischer Gottesdienst, Hamburg, 1725)

Christoph Schaffrath (1709-1763)
Trio Sonata in G minor for oboe, recorder (orig. violin) and b.c. CSWV E:18 (1760)
Allegro – Largo – Presto

Georg Philipp Telemann
Sixteenth Lesson from “Der getreue Music-Meister” (Hamburg, 1728)
for viola da gamba solo
Recitatif – Arioso – Vivace

Johann Mattheson (1681-1764)
Two rehearsal pieces from “Grosse General-Baß-Schule” (Hamburg, 1731)
for harpsichord solo

Georg Philipp Telemann
Duetto II in C major TWV 40:125
for 2 recorders without bass
(from: Second livre de duo pour deux violons, fluites ou hautbois, Paris, 1752)
Vivace – Moderato – Allegro

Christian Ludwig Boxberg
“Der Engel des Herrn lagert sich”, cantata for Michaelmas

Johann David Heinichen (1683-1727)
“Pastorale per la Notte di Natale” SeiH 242 (ca. 1720)
for two recorders, viola da gamba and harpsichord (arranged)

Christoph Graupner (1683-1760)
Dictum from the cantata “Das Leben war das Licht der Menschen” GWV 1107/45
for high voice, two recorders/oboes d’amore, viola da gamba and harpsichord

Georg Philipp Telemann
Trio Sonata in D minor TWV 42:d11 (1708-1712)
for two oboes and b.c.
Gravement en Menuet – Lentement – Gayement

Christian Ludwig Boxberg
“Komm Ehrenprinz”, cantata for the 1st Sunday of Advent
for soprano, two oboes, viola da gamba and b.c.

Johanna Falkinger, soprano
L’Orfeo Barockensemble
Carin van Heerden and Philipp Wagner, oboe and recorder
Matthias Müller, viola da gamba
Jean-Christophe Dijoux, harpsichord