Musicians of the Old Post Road launches its 29th with a musical journey that encompasses an array of Baroque and Classical musical styles and topics sparked by concepts of circles and spheres. Musicians of the Old Post Road is a chamber music ensemble specializing in period instrument performance of music from the Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic eras. Over their nearly 30 year history, they have given special attention to rediscovering lost or neglected works of the past.The season begins in late October with “Bach’s Dresden Circle,” featuring the trend-setting musical voices of Hasse, Buffardin, Pisendel and more whose works impressed J. S. Bach and his son Wilhelm Friedmann during their trips to the exciting cultural center of Dresden during the 1720s. Concerts will take place: Friday, October 27, 2017, 7:30 pm, First Parish of Sudbury and Sunday, October 29, 2017, 3 pm, Old South Church, Boston
The season begins in late October with “Bach’s Dresden Circle,” featuring the trend-setting musical voices of Hasse, Buffardin, Pisendel and more whose works impressed J. S. Bach and his son Wilhelm Friedmann during their trips to the exciting cultural center of Dresden during the 1720s. Concerts will take place: Friday, October 27, 2017, 7:30 pm, First Parish of Sudbury and Sunday, October 29, 2017, 3 pm, Old South Church, Boston. The Sudbury performance will be presented in collaboration with the Sudbury Historical Society and is supported by the Sudbury Cultural Council.
December’s holiday program, “Follow the Star,” showcases music written for Epiphany and shines a light on the Magi’s journey toward Bethlehem as we approach the holidays. This festive program includes selections by Telemann, Geist, and a modern day revival of a cantata by Graupner. Concerts will take place Friday, December 15, 2017, 8 pm, Emmanuel Church, Boston and Sunday, December 17, 2017, 4 pm, First Unitarian, Worcester.
The ensemble’s March program, “Many Happy Returns,” explores magical melodic variation atop beautiful, repeating bass lines that circle their way through works of Couperin, Telemann, Purcell, and others. Soprano Teresa Wakim will return as soloist in this program. Concerts will take place Friday, March 9, 2018, 7:30 pm, First Parish in Wayland and Saturday, March 10, 2018, 3 pm, Old South Church, Boston. The Wayland performance is presented in collaboration with the Wayland Historical Society.
April’s season finale “Mozart and His Spheres of Influence,” features works by Myslivecek, Wendling, Cannabich and other musicians with whom Mozart collaborated, competed, and socialized, as well as works by Wolfgang himself. WCRB’s Laura Carlo reads from the colorful letters that chart Mozart’s personal and professional circles! Concerts will take place Saturday., April 21, 2018, 8 pm, Emmanuel Church, Boston and Sunday, April 22, 2018, 4 pm, Worcester Historical Museum. The Worcester Historical Museum is co-presenting the Worcester concert.
Learn more about this imaginative and surprising season on the group’s website, www.oldpostroad.org. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are $35 for priority seating, $30 for general admission, and $10 for students, and children aged 7 to 17 are admitted free with an adult. Affordable and flexible three- and four-concert subscriptions are also available. All Old Post Road concert sites are wheelchair accessible. The concert series is sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
THE SEASON AT A GLANCE
- Bach’s Dresden Circle
Featuring Bach’s favorite musical voices from Dresden, including Hasse, Buffardin, Pisendel & more.- Friday, October 27, 2017, 7:30 pm, First Parish of Sudbury, 327 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA
- Sunday, October 29, 2017, 3 pm, Old South Church, 645 Boylston Street, Boston, MA
- Follow the Star
Music written for Epiphany shines a light on the Magi’s journey toward Bethlehem, including selections by Telemann, Geist, and a modern day revival of a cantata by Graupner.- Friday, December 15, 2017, 8 pm, Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston
- Sunday, December 17, 2017, 4 pm, First Unitarian, 90 Main Street, Worcester, MA
- Many Happy Returns
Magical melodic variation atop beautiful, repeating bass lines that circle their way through works of Couperin, Telemann, Purcell, and others. With soprano Teresa Wakim.- Friday, March 9, 2018, 7:30 pm, First Parish in Wayland, 225 Boston Post Rd, Wayland, MA
- Saturday, March 10, 2018, 3 pm, Old South Church, 645 Boylston Street, Boston, MA
- Mozart and His Spheres of Influence
Works by Mozart and his colleagues and competitors, including Haydn, Myslivecek, Wendling, and others. WCRB’s Laura Carlo reads from the colorful letters that chart Mozart’s personal and professional circles!- Saturday, April 21, 2018, 8 pm, Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street, Boston
- Sunday, April 22, 2018, 4 pm, Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm Street, Worcester, MA
$35 preferred seating/ $30 general admission / $10 students. Children ages 7-17 are admitted FREE when accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 781-466-6694 or visit www.oldpostroad.org
ABOUT MUSICIANS OF THE OLD POST ROAD
Musicians of the Old Post Road takes its name from its acclaimed concert series that brings period instrument performances of music of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries to beautiful historic buildings along New England’s fabled Old Post Road, the first thoroughfare to connect Boston and New York City in the late 17th century.
Winner of the 1998 Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society, Musicians of the Old Post Road has also received programming awards from Chamber Music America and the US-Mexico Fund for Culture. The ensemble has toured in Germany, Austria, and Mexico, and has appeared at festivals and on concert series in the US, including the Indianapolis Early Music Festival, the Boston Early Music Festival Concert Series, the Castle Hill Festival, the Artists Series at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and the Connecticut Early Music Festival. The ensemble has held a residency at Dartmouth College and was featured on WCVB television’s “Chronicle” program and 99.5 All Classical radio’s “Live from Fraser” program.
The ensemble’s discography includes seven recordings that have each been praised in the US and abroad. They include: The Virtuoso Double Bass (Titanic, 1994), Trios and Scottish Song Settings of J. N. Hummel (Meridian, 1999), Galant with an Attitude: Music of Juan and José Pla (Meridian, 2000), Quartets of Telemann and Bodinus (Meridian, 2004), Feliz Navidad: Christmas from Spain and New Spain (Meridian, 2008), and Roman Handel (Centaur, 2013). The ensemble’s 7th CD, Earthly Baroque, was released by Centaur in 2017.
Musicians of the Old Post Road
318 Bear Hill Rd, Suite 9
Waltham, MA 02451
www.oldpostroad.org – 781.466.6694
