Music of the Baroque to offer a varied lineup in 2015-16

Wed Mar 11, 2015 at 12:00 am

By Lawrence A. Johnson

Paul Agnew will lead an all-Purcell program in Music of the Baroque's 2015-16 season. Photo: Sandrine Expilly
Paul Agnew will lead an all-Purcell program in Music of the Baroque’s 2015-16 season. Photo: Sandrine Expilly

Music of the Baroque will serve up a rare Handel oratorio in the 2015-16 season along with Monteverdi’s Vespers and an evening devoted to Henry Purcell.

Nicholas Kraemer leads two programs, opening MOB’s 45th season October 18 and 19 with an all-Bach program offering three cantatas including “Ich habe genug” and “Wachet auf.” Kraemer will also conduct the season finale May 22 and 23, a mixed lineup of Telemann, Vivaldi, Handel and Bach.

Jane Glover conducts the first of her four programs November 29 and 30 with Judas Maccabaeus, MOB’s first performances of Handel’s infrequently heard oratorio in eight years.

MOB’s music director will conduct a mixed Baroque-Classical program January 24 and 25, (Mozart’s “Haffner” symphony, Handel’s Water Music and Haydn’s “Farewell” symphony).  On February 28 and 29, Glover will offer all three of Haydn’s “Morning, Noon and Night” symphonies (Nos. 6, 7 and 8) along with Mozart’s Serenata Notturna. The Easter season will bring three performances (April 1-3) of Monteverdi’s Vespers of the Blessed Virgin (1610), with Glover on the podium.

Paul Agnew will conduct the MOB Chorus and instrumentalists in an evening of Purcell anthems and sonatas April 24 and 25. And chorus director William Jon Gray will once again lead four concerts of the Chorus and Brass holiday concerts December 17-20.

Subscriptions for Music of the Baroque’s 2015-16 season are now on sale. Go to baroque.org or call 312-551-1414.

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One Response to “Music of the Baroque to offer a varied lineup in 2015-16”

  1. Posted Mar 16, 2015 at 11:39 am by Roland Buck

    One of the favorable developments for the upcoming season is that it includes less Mozart and more baroque music. And no Beethoven! While Mozart and Beethoven are two of the greatest composers of all time, to hear concerts of their music we have the Chicago Symphony. MOB is not needed for that.

    Another favorable development is that, for the second season, they have moved their repertoire backwards to include Monteverdi, who is in the same league as Handel and Bach. Hopefully this will become a standard practice.

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