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Baroque Notes
Enhance your enjoyment of Music of the Baroque concerts with "Baroque Notes," our pre-concert lecture series.
April 2024: Birds, Frogs, Crickets, & Dogs
Program annotator Jen More discusses the different ways Vivaldi, Telemann, and Haydn depict nature in some of the music featured in "Birds, Frogs, Crickets, and Dogs," the development of instrumental music in the Baroque era, how to pronounce American alternative rock band Weezer's Vivaldi-inspired "SZNZ," and much more.
March 2024: The St. John Passion
Standing in for program annotator Jen More, Music Director Dame Jane Glover and Executive Director Declan McGovern discuss Music of the Baroque’s upcoming performances of the St. John Passion. Highlights include the work’s standout moments, the difference between the St. John and the St. Matthew Passions, the dramatic pace and structure, the role of the chorus and the reason this cast of soloists is particularly special, and the role of the audience in making the performance come alive.
BONUS CONTENT: Dame Jane Glover and soloists in conversation
Before the concerts, Dame Jane Glover and the four St. John Passion soloists—soprano Miah Persson, mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass-baritone Neal Davies—sat down with Executive Director Declan McGovern at the Chicago Club to discuss their musical journeys and their experiences with Bach.
January 2024: Mullova Plays Bach
Program annotator Jen More discusses the fascinating life of legendary violinist Viktoria Mullova, our soloist for Bach's Concertos in A Minor and E Major; Lully's curious death and what happened when Rameau finally composed his first opera at 50; and Bach's mysterious Art of the Fugue, including—possibly—its modern-day influence in video game music.
November 2023: Windy City
Program annotator Jen More traces the many fascinating connections between Handel, Bologne, Hummel, Mozart, and Haydn, the composers featured in "Windy City."
October 2023: Viva Vivaldi!
Program annotator Jen More discusses the program of Viva Vivaldi! and how it reveals the composer's artistic personality, especially through the music he wrote for the residents of the Ospedale della Pietà, a Venetian school for orphaned and abandoned girls specializing in musical training.
September 2023: The Mozart Requiem
In the latest episode of "Baroque Notes," program annotator Jen More discusses what makes Bach's Magnificat so special and explores the real story behind the Mozart Requiem (complete with an excerpt from the movie Amadeus, of course!).
May 2023: Circles of Friends
Who is Johann Baptist Vanhal? Why did Haydn write his Sinfonia Concertante? What did historian Charles Burney think was the secret to artistic success? And what's solo tuning on the double bass? Find out in the latest installment of "Baroque Notes," our pre-concert lecture series, as program annotator Jen More answers these questions (with a little help from our friend and principal double bass Collins Trier).
April 2023: The St. Matthew Passion
Music Director Dame Jane Glover, Chorus Director Andrew Megill, and program annotator Jen More go behind the scenes of one of the greatest creative achievements of all time.
February 2023: London Calling
Program annotator Jen More discusses William Boyce, the circumstances surrounding the creation of Mozart's first symphony, and the role of the conductor in works like Handel's Water Music.
January 2023: Montero Plays Mozart
Program annotator Jen More highlights the genius of Gabriela Montero, the soloist for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, K. 467. She also discusses the life of Joseph Bologne—including one of her favorite scenes from "The Chevalier," Bill Barclay's concert theater work which Music of the Baroque performed in February 2022—and shares the tragedy behind Mozart's Symphony No. 39.
November 2022: Reginald Mobley Sings
Program annotator Jennifer More discusses how Purcell and Handel (and Johnny Cash!) fit into the musical landscape of London, while Reginald Mobley explains the countertenor voice.
October 2022: Baroque Heroes
Guest conductor Patrick Dupre Quigley discusses the concept behind Music of the Baroque's October 9 and 11 concerts, “Baroque Heroes,” and highlights Telemann’s Don Quixote Suite, C. P. E. Bach’s Cello Concerto, Rameau’s Suite from Castor and Pollux, and J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 featuring the famous “Air.” Executive Director Declan McGovern and South Chicago Dance Theatre Executive Artistic Director Kia S. Smith talk about the program's opening work, Dances from Terpsichore, sharing the creative process behind the organizations' brand-new collaboration—and a bit of rehearsal footage, too.
September 2022: Handel's Jephtha
Program annotator Jen More discusses Music of the Baroque's September 18 and 19 performances of Handel's final oratorio, Jephtha. Dame Jane Glover leads the chorus, orchestra, and soloists David Portillo (Jephtha), Lauren Snouffer (Iphis), Clara Osowski (Storgè), Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen (Hamor), Neal Davies (Zebul), and Katelyn Lee (Angel).
May 2022: The Brothers Haydn
Program annotator Jen More discusses Music of the Baroque's May 8 and 9 concerts, "The Brothers Haydn." Featured works include Michael Haydn's Symphony in E-flat Major (MH 473) and Joseph Haydn's Creation Mass. Dame Jane Glover leads the chorus, orchestra, and soloists Rebecca Farley, Meg Bragle, Michael St. Peter, and Tyler Duncan.
April 2022: Bach's Easter Oratorio
Program annotator Jen More discusses Music of the Baroque's April 10 and 11 concerts, featuring Bach's Easter Oratorio, Sinfonia in D Major, "Komm, Jesu, komm," and music by Buxtehude and Purcell. Dame Jane Glover leads the chorus, orchestra, and soloists Yulia Van Doren, Elizabeth DeShong, James Gilchrist, and Michael Sumuel.
March 2022: Classical Heroines
Program annotator Jen More discusses the vocal works soprano Amanda Forsythe will perform as part of "Classical Heroines"(March 20 & 21) under the direction of Nicholas Kraemer.
November 2021: Discovering Messiah
Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer and program annotator Jennifer More discuss Handel's Messiah in preparation for the ensemble's first performances of the oratorio in over a decade.
Episode 1
Topics covered in Episode 1 include how Nicholas prepares to direct a work he's conducted over 100 times, changes in performance practice over the centuries, and Nicholas's most memorable Messiah experiences.
Episode 2
In Episode 2, Nicholas delves into the significance of Messiah's text sources and how librettist Charles Jennens's choices add nuance to the work's meaning.
October 2021: Vivaldi & Friends
Program annotator Jennifer More and guest conductor John Butt discuss the program for "Vivaldi & Friends," tracing the network of Vivaldi’s influence (and influences) from Corelli to Bach.
September 2021: Baroque Fireworks—Handel, Telemann, Garrop
Program annotator Jennifer More discusses the program for "Baroque Fireworks," including Handel's Water Music, Concerto a due cori No. 1, and Music for the Royal Fireworks. Composer Stacy Garrop shares the creative process behind Spectacle of Light, specially commissioned for our 50th anniversary.
June 16, 2021 8:00 PM: Musica Sacra-Bach & Purcell
May 19, 2021 8:00 PM: Plus Fours! Handel, Telemann, Locatelli, Vivaldi
May 5, 2021 8:00 PM: Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
April 7, 2021 8:00 PM: Inon Barnatan Plays Mozart
March 10, 2021 8:00 PM: Double Trouble—Bach, Vivaldi & More
February 3, 2021 8:00 PM: Vivaldi's Four Seasons
October 14, 2020 8:00 PM: Telemann's Day of Judgment
October 7, 2020 8:00 PM: War and Peace
September 30, 2020 8:00 PM: Pulpit & Playhouse
September 23, 2020 8:00 PM: The Family Bach
September 16, 2020 8:00 PM: The Grand Tour with Carl Grapentine
September 9, 2020 8:00 PM: Mendelssohn's Elijah
September 2, 2020 8:00 PM: Imogen Cooper Plays Mozart
August 26, 2020 8:00 PM: Monteverdi's Vespers
August 19, 2020 8:00 PM: Handel and the Royals
From virtual gala "Baroque Beautiful," to the midwest premiere of The Chevalier, to Baroque in the Park, here's where you can find all our special events produced in the recent seasons.
The Chevalier (Feb 18-20, 2022)
In partnership with the Kehrein Center for the Arts, Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, North Shore Center for the Arts, and Concert Theatre Works, we presented the Midwest premiere of _The Chevalier_, a concert-theater work about the life and music of 18th-century Black composer Joseph Bologne, also known as The Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
The full production
Merit School of Music Collaboration (Nov 30, 2021)
Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer led students from the Merit School of Music and our principal string players in Handel's Concerto Grosso in G Minor, op. 6, no. 6. The project also included master classes in which our string principals worked closely with the young musicians from Merit.
Rehearsals and interviews
The full performance
Hear from Music Director Jane Glover and Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer as they go in-depth about Baroque music in our video interview series.
February 19, 2022: A Conversation with Anthony McGill
New York Philharmonic Principal Clarinet Anthony McGill in conversation with Music Director Dame Jane Glover and Executive Director Declan McGovern. McGill made his Music of the Baroque debut as soloist in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto Feb 27 and Feb 28, 2022. The all-Mozart program also includes the Overture to Lucio Silla, which the composer wrote as a teenager, and the late masterpiece Symphony No. 40 in G Minor. For complete details, visit baroque.org/mcgill.
July 23, 2021: Sir Simon Rattle in Conversation with Nicholas Kraemer (Part III)
In the third and final episode of these conversations between Sir Simon Rattle and his good friend Nicholas Kraemer, Sir Simon discusses a particularly memorable performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and his wife, Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kožená. Nicholas talks about his audition piece for MOB twenty years ago: Handel’s Dixit Dominus, a work he has performed with the ensemble three times since as principal guest conductor. A memorable family trip to Venezuela rounds off the program and the series.
July 16, 2021: Sir Simon Rattle in Conversation with Nicholas Kraemer (Part II)
In the second of three installments, Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer and Sir Simon Rattle discuss the influence of period instruments and styles on Baroque performances using modern instruments. Plus, the day that famous Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan slammed the phone down on Maestro Rattle!
July 9, 2021: Sir Simon Rattle in Conversation with Nicholas Kraemer (Part I)
In the first of three installments, Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas Kraemer chats with his old friend Sir Simon Rattle about how they met, their Baroque idols, and more.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 7:00 PM: A conversation with John Eliot Gardiner and Jane Glover Pt 3/3
The final installment of a three-part interview with Music Director Jane Glover, esteemed conductor and Bach scholar John Eliot Gardiner, and radio personality Carl Grapentine. Topics under discussion this week include why Bach didn't compose operas, why each wrote their respective book, and the surprises about Bach and Handel they uncovered along the way.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 7:00 PM: A conversation with John Eliot Gardiner and Jane Glover Pt 2/3
Enjoy the second installment of a three-part interview with Music Director Jane Glover, esteemed conductor and Bach scholar John Eliot Gardiner, and radio personality Carl Grapentine. Topics under discussion this week include their favorite works by Bach and Handel, unique insights into the composers' personalities, and much more.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 7:00 PM: A conversation with John Eliot Gardiner and Jane Glover Pt 1/3
Carl Grapentine interviews the internationally renowned Baroque specialist John Eliot Gardiner about his book on Bach (Music in the Castle of Heaven), and Music Director Jane Glover about her book on Handel (Handel in London).