Carolina Baroque, Dale Higbee, music director, will present its final concert in the 2008-09 Salisbury Bach and Handel Festival in the chapel of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 200 W. Innes St. this Friday, at 7:30 p.m. There is no admission charge, but a $10 donation at the door is suggested to help cover the expenses involved.
Titled “A Baroque Sampler,” this concert will include a variety of instrumental music by leading composers of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Opening the program is the Sonata for recorder, two violins and continuo by Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612) and two five-part dances (Galliarde and Courante) by Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654), followed by three pieces for solo harpsichord (“The Birds,” “The Drum,” and “The Hen”) by Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), and the Recorder Concerto in D minor by Alessandro Marcello (1684-1750).
Following intermission will be a suite of instrumental music from “The Fairy Queen” (“Prelude,” “Rondeau,” “Dance for the Fairies,” and “Chaconne: Dance for a Chinese man and woman”) by Henry Purcell (1659-1695).
François Couperin (1688-1733) will be represented by three pieces from his Second Book of Harpsichord Pieces (1713): “The Mysterious Barricades,” “Pastorals,” and “The Gnat.” Concluding the program will be the Recorder Concerto in Bb flat major by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759).
This year, 2009, marks the 350the anniversary of the birth of Henry Purcell, considered by many the greatest composer born in England, and the 250th anniversary of the death of G. F. Handel, the German-born naturalized citizen of England, whom Beethoven declared to be the greatest composer who ever lived.
Performers in the concert will include John Pruett and Susan Perkins, baroque violins; Marian Wilson, baroque viola; Holly Maurer, viola da gamba; Susan Bates, harpsichord; and Dale Higbee, music director and recorders.
Carolina Baroque is a funded member of the Rowan Arts Council, as well as a professional ensemble member of Early Music America. The group has performed throughout the southeastern USA, on public TV, and public radio. They have released 28 CDs and received rave reviews for their concerts and recordings.
For more information, visit www.carolinabaroque.org.