Bach in Baltimore: Bach & Telemann
$32 ($10 ages 13-18/full-time student; ages 12 & under free)
- Tess Ottinger, soprano
- Taylor Boykins, alto
- Joseph Regan, tenor
- Eliam Ramos, bass
Georg Philipp Telemann — Bassoon Sonata in F minor, TWV 41:f1
Johann Sebastian Bach — Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067
Today, J.S. Bach is regarded as the greatest German Baroque composer, but in the 18th Century, Telemann was the more celebrated superstar, commanding a prestigious post as cantor of the city of Hamburg. He was the most prolific composer of music history, penning over 3,000 compositions—at least three times as many as Bach. Both composers were tapped to be the cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, which Telemann turned down and Bach accepted. J.S. Bach had warm feelings for Telemann whom he made godfather and namesake of his son Carl Philipp Emanuel.
Telemann's Sonata in F minor for bassoon is a work of great beauty and virtuosity. It is paired with Bach's Orchestral Suite, No. 2 featuring flute, strings, and harpsichord. Bach's work is noteworthy for several reasons: First, its polonais (derived from Polish folk dance) can be attributed to Telemann's influence. Second, the work concludes with one of the showstoppers of all of flute repertoire—a high spirited, lightning-fast flute solo that literally will take your breath away. The concert includes Bach’s Cantata 33: Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ ("Alone towards you, Lord Jesus Christ"). This comforting work contains one of Bach's best known alto solos. Escape the chill of late winter with bravado works from two great friends who inspired each other to compose music that continue to challenge musicians today.
About Bach in Baltimore
Bach in Baltimore’s mission is to perform the choral and instrumental works of Johann Sebastian Bach (and his contemporaries) and to educate the concert-going public about the musical language of Bach and the texts he chose to set to music.
We strive each month to present these works in a historically informed way that will enrich the lives of our audience members and inspire creativity. We wish to foster an appreciation for the arts, particularly for Baroque music, within the entire community. We are committed to providing educational experiences for people of all ages in order to instill a lifelong connection Bach’s music.
https://bachinbaltimore.org/About Tess Ottinger, soprano
About Taylor Boykins, alto
Taylor earned her Master of Music degree in vocal performance from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, where she was a protégé of mezzo soprano Denyce Graves. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor of Music degree from Oakland University in Rochester, MI as a student of contralto, Nadine Washington.
https://www.taylorhillaryb.net/