The Northern Neck Orchestra will perform endearing works by George Frideric Handel, Johann Sebastian Bach and pioneering composer Marianna Martines March 1 at the Lancaster Elementary School Theater, 191 School Street, in Kilmarnock.
The concert, featuring Handel’s “Queen of Sheba Overture”and “Music for Royal Fireworks,” Martines’ “Symphony No. 1” and Bach’s “Orchestra Suite No. 1,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. It will be preceded by a pre-concert talk at 6:45 p.m. by music director Michael Repper.
Tickets are $40 and are available at www.northernneckorchestra.org, or the door. Students are admitted free with an online reservation.
“We are delighted to perform legendary compositions by Handel and Bach, two of the most well-known composers of the Baroque era and major contributors to the classical canon,” said Repper.
“It is also a special pleasure to introduce concertgoers to Marianna Martines, a preeminent composer of the 18th century, whose unfairly neglected works are worthy of greater recognition,” he said. “A Viennese colleague of Mozart and Haydn, she is thought to be the first woman to compose a symphony.”
The concert will begin with Handel’s “Queen of Sheba Overture.” Written in 1748 and premiered in March 1749, the piece opens Act III of Handel’s “Solomon” oratorio. Featuring vibrant violin passages, it includes two contrasting oboes. Now a staple of many wedding ceremonies, “Sheba” was a feature piece in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Handel wrote his “Music for the Royal Fireworks” in 1749 to accompany fireworks in London’s Green Park. The piece gained immediate acclaim from thousands who had attended a pre-concert rehearsal and thousands more who later attended the Green Park official launch. Handel specified the exact number of instruments for each part.
His “Fireworks” piece often is paired with “Water Music,” composed some three decades later. Several arrangements have subsequently followed, including one by Jose Feliciano for solo classical guitar.
Next on the program is “Symphony No. 1,” composed in the mid-1770s by Martines. Described as showcasing her masterful handling of form, harmony and orchestration, the piece exemplifies the traits of the Classical period.
With a spirited, joyful and buoyant opening, the symphony fosters a celebratory mood, Repper explained, with an interweaving of contrasting dynamics and rich harmonies leading to a sense of depth and color. Martines’ interaction of different instrumental sections shows her ability to illustrate various textures while keeping a sense of unity throughout.
The closing piece is Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No. 1,” the first of his four orchestral suites. The suite begins with a taste of France and then brings in stylized dance movements reflecting several different countries of origin.
The overture has been praised as a masterpiece of Baroque counterpoint and is regarded as one of Bach’s pieces which over the centuries have been models for numerous composers.
“This concert promises to be a delightful mix of musical styles and periods from familiar composers as well as a special treat by a largely unknown artist of exceptional talent,” said Repper. “Please join us for a splendid evening of great music.”
