22 Nov Press Release: Bohemian Rhapsody

LES DÉLICES KICKS OFF 2025 WITH A NEW TOURING PROGRAM OF CLASSICAL CHAMBER MUSIC: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Cleveland-based chamber music ensemble Les Délices begins 2025 with a refreshing new touring program: Bohemian Rhapsody. The 18th-century expatriates of Bohemia and Moravia (modern day Czech Republic) composed music that subtly blended the folk tunes and inflections of their homeland with the musical conventions prized by the Imperial Court in Vienna. Bohemian Rhapsody celebrates these little-known composers along with the Classical Era’s most enduring genius: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Performances of Bohemian Rhapsody will be Friday, Jan. 31st at 8:00 pm at Kenyon College and Sunday, Feb. 2nd at 3:00 pm at Oregon State University.

Bohemian Rhapsody: A New Program from Les Délices

Bohemian Rhapsody celebrates the music of Bohemian composers from the late 18th and early 19th centuries – a time when Bohemia and Moravia were provinces of the Habsburg Empire, which resulted in cultural suppression. More than a century of Habsburg occupation in Bohemia and Moravia also meant that limited job opportunities sent many Bohemian musicians and composers abroad for work to cities such as Mannheim, Berlin, Naples, and the Imperial Court in Vienna, where many composers featured in Bohemian Rhapsody eventually settled.

Franz Krommer, Georg Druschetzky, and Johann Baptist Vanhal are far from household names today, but in their time they were the entrepreneurial, prolific stars of the music scene. Bohemian Rhapsody features quartets for oboe and strings by Krommer, Druschetzky, and Vanhal that show the composers’ individual flair and sophistication, making a strong case that all three should be better known. 

Also featured in this program is the World Premiere of a newly commissioned arrangement of Czech and Moravian folk songs by New York City-based composer and harpsichordist Nathan Mondry (pictured left). “Central European nationalism – as we now know it in the works of composers like Smetana, Dvorak, and even Bartok – was not possible until after the dissolution of the Hapsburg’s Austro-Hungarian empire in the late 1860s. So, I wondered, what if these talented late-18th and early-19th century composers from the Czech lands had been able to more openly celebrate their heritage in their music? I reached out to a Czech music scholar for help, who directed me to the earliest collections of folk songs (c. 1850) for inspiration. I then asked Nathan Mondry, who composes brilliantly in Baroque and Classical musical styles to create a new work for us incorporating several folk tunes. He’s written a fun three-movement suite for oboe and strings that includes a Prelude, a cheeky Fugue, and a last movement in the form of theme and variations. The texts of the original folk songs also resonate beautifully with the underlying themes of our program: separation, nostalgia, and homecoming.”

Deepening Relationship with Bard Early College

Before LD musicians depart on tour, the ensemble will give a performance and talk for students, teachers, and parents of Bard Early College as part of the high school’s Dean’s Hour Lecture Series. Dean’s Hour is a weekly lecture and performance series that shares the work of artists, scholars and scientists with the Bard Early College community.

Les Délices is proud of initiating programming with Bard’s music department, which will build to include regular sessions with their string players. Says LD Executive Director Laura Potter, “Les Délices has been working to expand our in-school programing in Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and Bard Early College’s emphasis on deep inquiry into humanities and the arts make them an ideal educational partner. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with Bard, serving both students involved in music ensembles and the general student population.”

On tour at colleges in Ohio and Oregon

This tour will see the ensemble travel to Kenyon College and Oregon State University to share Bohemian Rhapsody. Traveling with Artistic Director and oboist Debra Nagy are violinists Allison Monroe and Shelby Yamin, and cellist Rebecca Landell. Throughout the tour, LD musicians will engage with local students through teaching and other outreach activities. “At Les Délices, we’re passionate about getting people to think differently about music and history. During this tour, we’ll have opportunities to introduce historical concepts that encourage students to embrace new aspects of creativity and personal initiative. At the same time, our performances will advocate for the music of less well-known composers with fascinating stories.”

Les Délices will perform 18th-century chamber music from Bohemia at Kenyon College’s Rosse Hall  on Friday, Jan. 31st at 8:00 pm and Sunday, Feb. 2nd at 3:00 pm at the Reser Center for the Creative Arts on Oregon State University’s campus.

EVENT DETAILS:

LD ON TOUR AT KENYON COLLEGE
Bohemian Rhapsody
Friday, January 31, 2025 at 8:00 pm
Rosse Hall – Kenyon College Campus
105 College Dr, Gambier, OH 43022

LD ON TOUR AT OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY 
Bohemian Rhapsody
Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Patricia Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts – Oregon State University
470 SW 15th Street , Corvallis, OR 9733