Critic’s Choice

Thu Jan 26, 2012 at 1:36 am

By Lawrence A. Johnson

Franz Joseph Haydn

There’s plenty of high-profile events to choose from this weekend: Riccardo Muti’s return to the CSO with Orff’s Carmina Burana; the Chamber Society of Lincoln Center Friday at the Harris Theater; and Joshua Bell’s recital Sunday at Symphony Center.

But don’t overlook Music of the Baroque’s program of Haydn and Handel led by Nicholas Kraemer. The ensemble’s principal guest conductor has revealed himself as one of our very finest Haydn conductors, able to put across the wry wit and rhythmic curveballs in especially winning fashion. The program couples Haydn’s Symphony No. 31 (Horn Signal) and No. 98 with Handel’s Concerto a due cori in F Major (Judas Maccabaeus) and Concerto grosso in D Major, Op. 6, No. 5.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church in Evanston and 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Harris Theater. baroque.org; 312-551-1414.

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