Desert Baroque

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Hope Center, Hope Lutheran Church

45900 Portola Ave, Palm Desert, CA 92260

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6 pm (Pre-concert lecture)

Steinway History, Our History:

Why It Matters and What to Do About It

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Laurence Libin, Honorary Curator, Steinway & Sons

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7 pm (Concert)

"The Contest":

Four Historic Keyboards vie for Position

 

Charles Metz, Sonia Lee, Randall Love, Elaine Funaro,

Monica Jakuc Leverett and Margaret Irwin-Brandon,

fortepiano and harpsichord

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Desert Baroque Festival Ensemble

Rick Wilson and John Barcellona, traverse flute
Andrew McIntosh and Amy Wang, violin
Sylvia Lee Mann, viola
Marylin Winkle, cello
Gabriel Golden, bass

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Six Desert Baroque’s Festival Keyboardists, Charles Metz, Sonia Lee, Randall Love, Elaine Funaro, Monica Jakuc Leverett and Margaret Irwin-Brandon, perform on four 18th-century  keyboards - 2 harpsichords in the Flemish style, and 2 fortepianos in the Viennese style.

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Joined by the Desert Baroque Festival Ensemble in concerti by J.S. Bach - A Minor, for 4 keyboards, C.P.E. Bach for Fortepiano and Harpsichord, and a new work by Asako Hirabayashi, six performing keyboardists combine in repertoire of the late 18th Century. The sound of much plucking - two harpsichords in Bach's Concerto in C Major; the sound of leather hammers on brass strings - 2 fortepianos, and the combination of both make this event a treat for eye and ear. Playing in the round, the performers create a focused but moving sound in an acoustically rewarding environment. Of special note in this unusual combination of instruments is a recent work composed for 4 harpsichords and string quintet in an avant-garde manner. The composer is delighted that we will substitute 2 of those harpsichords with fortepianos. Music of Mozart and Haydn share the love.

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Tickets: $30 general $45 reserved