[Boston, MA – December 9, 2019] The Handel and Haydn Society will showcase the brilliance of classical music with a spectacular performance of Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4, K. 217 and Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, Military and Lord Nelson Mass on Friday, January 24, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 26, 2020 at 3 p.m. at Boston’s Symphony Hall.
Under the artistic direction of conductor Harry Christophers, the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra will perform the compositions on period instruments, sharing with the audience a sound filled with verve and brilliance, as when the compositions first were enjoyed.
Mozart + Haydn will open with Mozart’s playful Violin Concerto No. 4, K. 217, composed in 1775 in Salzburg, Austria. This joyful composition will come to life through the artistry of violinist Aisslinn Nosky, concertmaster of the H+H Orchestra.
Completed in 1793, Haydn’s Symphony No. 100, known as the Military Symphony, is the eighth symphony written by Haydn, preceding a performance of the dramatic and inspiring Lord Nelson Mass, one of 14 masses written by Haydn. Composed in 1798 near the end of his life, Lord Nelson Mass has been called Haydn’s most significant single composition.
“Lord Nelson Mass captures the swirling turmoil and drama of Napoleon’s wartime invasions that threatened the world order – all too reminiscent of current politics and times,” said Handel and Haydn Society President and CEO David Snead. “Under the direction of Harry Christophers, the H+H Orchestra and Chorus will bring to the forefront all the emotions and feelings wrapped up in these pieces.”
The performance of Lord Nelson Mass will feature the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus as well as soprano Mary Bevan, internationally renowned for her baroque, classical, and contemporary repertoire and winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Young Artist Award, among others. She’ll be joined by mezzo-soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers, tenor Jeremy Budd, and baritone Sumner Thompson.
Tickets for individual performances may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, visiting handelandhaydn.org or in person at 9 Harcourt Street in Boston (M-F 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.). Student and group discounts are also available.
Handel and Haydn’s 2019–20 Season Performances include:
Handel Messiah Nov 29+30, Dec 1, 2019 Symphony Hall
A Baroque Christmas Dec 19 + 22, 2019 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Mozart + Haydn Jan 24 + 26, 2020 Symphony Hall
Beethoven + Mozart Feb 14 + 16, 2020 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Haydn + Beethoven Feb 28 + March 1, 2020 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Bach St. Matthew Passion April 3 + 5, 2020 Symphony Hall
Vivaldi The Four Seasons May 1 + 3, 2020 Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, vitality, and creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 205 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States). Today, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H’s numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. The artistic director of the Handel and Haydn Society is Harry Christophers. Under Christophers’s leadership, H+H has released 12 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.
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