Music of the Baroque: Free 'Baroque in the Park' Concert Sept. 10

Chicago IL

25 August, 2021

12:00 PM

Description

Music of the Baroque (MOB), in association with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, opens its 51st Season with its second "Baroque in the Park" open-air performance at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (201 E. Randolph St.) on Friday, Sept. 10 at 6:30 p.m. The concert will be conducted by Music of the Baroque Music Director Dame Jane Glover. The program for "Baroque in the Park" features the world premiere of MOB's first commission, "Spectacle of Light." Composed by internationally acclaimed composer Stacy Garrop in honor of MOB's 50th anniversary, the work's debut was postponed due to the pandemic. Garrop found her inspiration for the work in an etching displayed on MOB's website of a 1749 fireworks spectacle on the River Thames in honor of Great Britain's King George II. "I was intrigued by the manner in which the etching's artist represented the path of each individual firework, starting with an upward trajectory of a golden streak of light that inevitably bends and falls back towards the earth, blooming into glittering specks before flickering out," says Garrop. "Ultimately, I decided that 'Spectacle of Light' would represent the experience of a fireworks show. As a tip of the hat to Music of the Baroque, I worked a few salient elements of the Baroque style into my own musical language, as well as found a few choice spots to add a few subtle hints of Handel's 'Royal Fireworks'." The program for "Baroque in the Park" also includes: • The opening movement of Vivaldi's Gloria and the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's "Messiah. Joining the Music of the Baroque ensemble will be the Strong Voices Choir, comprised of singers from Chicago public high schools involved in MOB's arts education program. • The final movement of Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1. featuring Chicago cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing in her MOB debut. "This concert is a celebration of Music of the Baroque's 50-year legacy of bringing great music to Chicagoans," said Glover. "It features some of the most popular works from the Baroque era, but also looks forward to our upcoming season which features such works as Bach's Easter Oratorio and Haydn's Creation Mass. I am also thrilled to welcome Stacy Garrop, one of the tremendously talented contemporary composers who honor the legacy of the Baroque era by creating new works that should rightly take their place alongside the works of Bach, Vivaldi and Haydn," Music of the Baroque's executive director, Declan McGovern commented: 'this is like a homecoming, a reunion of our audience with our musicians, but more than that, it's a chance to throw our doors wide open and invite so many new friends to join us for this taster program of highlights from our season ahead. It also gives us a chance to say thank you to our loyal supporters who have stayed strong in their support for MOB during the pandemic, and thank all those professionals who battled the heights of the pandemic to keep Chicago strong over the past 18 months. Although we are not out of the woods yet, we are so grateful for the opportunity to perform live in front of a live audience again, for the first time in a long time, to celebrate our orchestra and chorus as we turn 50, and to champion our Strong Voices singers and exciting young performers such as Ifetayo Ali-Landing'. Pavilion and lawn seating is free. For more information, including COVID-19 protocols, call 312.551.1414 or visit baroque.org. "Baroque in the Park" is part of Chicago in Tune (Aug. 19 – Sept. 19), a new citywide festival celebrating Chicago's diverse and legendary music scene and the 2021 Year of Chicago Music. This month of music brings together iconic neighborhood venues, presenting organizations and musicians from across the city to celebrate all music genres and forms — with 575+ free and ticketed shows at more than 55 venues. For more information visit chicago.gov/music and do312.com/chicagointune.