Desert Baroque
413-285-6881
Desert Baroque is sponsored by the Collaborative Arts and Culture Foundation. Donations to Desert Baroque are tax exempt under IRS Code 501(c)(3).
The Baroque Era in a Modern Age
Friday January 6, 2023, 7pm
The Artists Center at the Galen, 72567 Hwy 111, Palm Desert, California
Please note that even though the Artists Center will be closed to the public until January 8, 2023,
its doors will be open for this Desert Baroque concert on Friday, January 6 at 6 pm.
“There was a Time...”
An evening of 19th century Parlour Music in a fetching program ranging from Mozart and Haydn to Stephen Foster
Ellen Hargis, soprano
Charles Metz, square piano by Clementi
In this season, “The Art of Time,” we are traveling back in time as can done only through music. In this program, we are delighted to offer you a sampling of music that was enjoyed in both concert halls and domestic parlors during the 18th and 19th centuries. But we are especially happy to bring you the rare experience of hearing this music played on an original early 19th century instrument that was immensely popular at the time – the square piano. The songs we present were ubiquitous in the repertoire of house-music in both Europe and the United States. Comprised of beautiful melodies and simple poetry, they were virtuosic enough to show off the singer’s skill, but easy enough to be accessible to a non- professional.” (Excerpt from program notes, “There was a Time...”)
On this program you will hear, for example, Sonata in F Major (XVI:23) by F. J. Haydn interspersed with three of his songs: The Mermaid’s Song, She never told her Love and Fidelity; also a group of songs by W.A. Mozart, In addition to works for piano by Clementi and Martinez is a selection of 19th Century songs by Stephen Foster.