05 Oct Arcadian Dreams: Spotlight on the composers

Arcadian Dreams: Coming Soon!

On October 20th in University Circle, Les Délices will perform a new program of passionate, virtuosic music from the heart of the Baroque Era with rising-star soprano Hannah De Priest. Presented as part of Early Music America’s Annual Summit, this concert will transport audiences to a pastoral paradise. Purchase tickets to Arcadian Dreams on October 20th here.

This concert will also be performed at the Hudson Library & Historical Society on October 19th at 2:00 pm. Learn more about this version of Arcadian Dreams here.

Highlights of the Concert

• Sunrise and Sunset: Experience the breathtaking journey of the sun from dawn to dusk through Lefebvre’s Le lever de l’Aurore and Bourgeois’ Diane et Endimion.
• Pastoral Love: Explore the passionate themes of love, longing, and sacrifice in Handel’s Mi palpita il cor and Rameau’s Le Berger fidèle.
• The Virtuosity of Corelli: Marvel at the technical brilliance of Arcangelo Corelli’s iconic sonata La Folia.
• The Rising Star: Discover the captivating voice of Hannah De Priest, a soprano whose talent and passion have earned her widespread acclaim.

Spotlighting the Composers

Georg Frederic Handel (1685-1759)

Handel, a renowned composer of the Baroque era, is best known for his operas, oratorios, and instrumental works. While his larger-scale compositions often overshadow his cantatas, these smaller-scale works offer a glimpse into Handel’s early career and his development as a composer. Mi palpita il cor is a passionate and dramatic cantata that showcases Handel’s ability to convey intense emotions through his music. Scholar Ellen T. Harris considers Handel’s cantatas a sort of “private” music as they were written expressly for individual patrons. They might be infrequently performed today, but Handel’s cantatas (as well as his later vocal works) reflect his absorption of the musical styles of Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti (father and son), Giovanni Bononcini, and Arcangelo Corelli during his Roman sojourn.

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1680-1764)

Rameau is considered one of the most influential French composers of the Baroque period. He is renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to opera and his innovative harmonic style. Primarily remembered today as a titan of French opera, Rameau’s first experiments with dramatic music were also via the small-scale cantata. Studded with keening dissonances and chromaticism, Rameau’s Le Berger fidèle (the faithful shepherd) begins with a lament  “Faut-il qu’Amarillis périsse” (Must Amarillis die?) that vividly portrays a shepherd’s distress at the goddess Diana’s dictate that he sacrifice his lover. A dramatic accompanied recitative “Cependant à l’autel” (while at the altar) sees the shepherd try to save his Amarillis by offering himself to the virgin goddess. Deeply moved by his fidelity and ardor, Diana spares both Mirtil and Amarillis so that their union may be blessed by Hymen, God of Marriage. The final, celebratory air “Charmant amour” (Charming love) observes that we often arrive at happy circumstances through tenacity and perseverance.

Louis Lefebvre (1696-1775)

Lefebvre was a French composer who is less well-known than his contemporaries. However, his music offers a glimpse into the diverse musical landscape of the Baroque era. Le lever de l’Aurore is a beautiful and evocative cantata that paints a vivid picture of the dawn. The evocative opening prelude proceeds from the dusky, muted tones of A minor to a brilliant, shining E major chord that ushers in Aurora, the Goddess of the dawn. According to the carefree opening aria “L’Olimpe se d’ore,” she inspires the birds to sing and spreads flowers across the earth, leaving pearls and opals in her wake. A Musette (whose drones imitate a shepherd’s bagpipe) calls the young shepherds, Phyllis and Titire, to the meadow so that they and their flocks might enjoy each other’s sweet company.

Thomas Louis Bourgeois (1689-1733)

Bourgeois was a French composer who specialized in instrumental music. His Diane et Endimion is a captivating cantata that tells the mythological story of the goddess Diana and the shepherd Endymion.

Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)

Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer who is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of Baroque music. Corelli’s groundbreaking Op.5 collection of twelve Violin Sonatas (1700) concluded with his 24 variations on “La Folia” that put  the “Orpheus of the Violin’s” imagination and prodigious technique on full display.

See you in Arcadia

Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to experience the enchanting, mythic beauty of Arcadia through beautiful Baroque music. Les Délices and Hannah De Priest invite you to join them for Arcadian Dreams.

Concert Dates and Locations:

• October 19, 2024, at 2:00 PM: Hudson Library & Historical Society, Hudson, Ohio

• October 20, 2024, at 7:30 PM: Harkness Chapel, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio