Early Music

Manze makes his SSO debut

May 8, 2010

By R.M. Campbell Early in his distinguished career, Andrew Manze was known as a Baroque violinist. But not any violinist. He brought zeal, ebullience, intelligence and scholarship to everything he touched. Those qualities he brings to the podium, as his Seattle Symphony Orchestra debut testified to this weekend at Benaroya Hall. He has a small [...]

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Jordi Savall’s Jerusalem at Lincoln Center

May 6, 2010

By Gigi Yellen With his characteristic blend of deep research and virtuosic performance, historical accuracy and jazzlike improvisation, Jordi Savall and his band have created in “Jerusalem: City of Heavenly and Earthly Peace” a mesmerizing and troubling contemporary performance piece. Maestro Savall, esteemed creator of over 160 honored recordings of early music, combines ancient instruments, [...]

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Portland Baroque comes to town

April 19, 2010

By R.M. Campbell For more than a quarter of century, the Portland Baroque Orchestra has been an integral part of the early music scene on the West Coast. Any number of luminaries have been associated with the period orchestra. including Ton Koopman Richard Egarr, Andrew Manze and Monica Huggett, the ensemble’s artistic director for 15 [...]

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On Bach’s birthday: the gift of Suites for Solo Cello

March 17, 2010

By Dave Beck Not quite sure how to celebrate Johann Sebastian Bach’s birthday this year? It’s coming up this weekend you know. And if somehow you’ve neglected to plan for the birth anniversary of this genius of Western Music, I understand the sense of guilt you carry. But really, there’s no need for panic or [...]

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Hesperion XXI: intriguing as always

March 16, 2010

By R. M. Campbell Hesperion XXI is one of the most durable ensembles in early music on either side of the Atlantic. And one of the most respected. Fortunately, the group has often performed in Seattle, sponsored by the Early Music Guild. It was founded in 1974, as Hesperion XX, by Jordi Savall and Montserrat [...]

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What’s 400 years between composers?

March 10, 2010

Seattle has struggled to create an identity as a major, American city for as long as I have lived here. Each time, it seemed poised to break out, the provincial mindset, which has long dominated the city’s culture, reasserted itself. For 72 hours last weekend, Seattle’s music and performance finally broke loose, bringning us Heiner [...]

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Scottish harp is the focus of Baroque Northwest

February 7, 2010

By R.M. Campbell Baroque Northwest is one of those small ensembles in Seattle that lives a little below the public radar but  sustains itself with evocative programs, good music-making and a faithful audience.

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Baroque music for humans at the SSO

January 19, 2010

By Gigi Yellen “Baroque Music for Humans” was the title of the pre-concert conversation between Nicholas McGegan and the critic Bernard Jacobson. What was that supposed to mean? Who cared? Fun was the attitude of the day at this last in a three-concert series at Benaroya Hall with the renowned music director of San Francisco’s [...]

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Messiah Returns to Benaroya Hall

December 21, 2009

By R.M. Campbell The performance of the “Messiah” during the Christmas season is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, traditions of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. There is nothing unusual in this commitment to Handel’s oratorio. It is a work of pure, seemingly inexhaustible, genius. Although the work was intended as a vehicle to [...]

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OSSCS Messiah remains a Seattle holiday tradition

December 8, 2009

By: Dana Wen Seattle’s Messiah purists got their annual fix this past Sunday during Orchestra Seattle & Seattle Chamber Singers’ single performance of Handel’s masterpiece.  OSSCS, led by George Shangrow, is well-known in the region for their true-to-the-score Messiah (no cuts or abridged versions here).  Sunday’s concert was held at the First Free Methodist Church [...]

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