Sin­fo­nia Spir­i­tu­osa’s con­cert enti­tled “Beau­ti­ful and Bizarre” fea­tures music that exem­pli­fies the spon­ta­neous, impro­visato­ry, and often star­tling char­ac­ter of the Baroque, and is a per­fect show­case for the artistry and dra­mat­ic flair of this emerg­ing ensem­ble. At the core of this pro­gram are two works by Tele­mann: the orches­tra’s name­sake piece, the live­ly and mov­ing Sin­fo­nia Spir­i­tu­osa; and the whim­si­cal La Bizarre suite, named for its odd and excit­ing dances that can sur­prise lis­ten­er and per­former alike with their unusu­al, clever quirks

The free­dom and fan­ta­sy of the 17th cen­tu­ry are rep­re­sent­ed with pieces by Johann Vier­danck and Hen­ry Pur­cell. Vierdanck’s Pas­samez­zo and Gagliar­da fea­ture vio­lin­ists Jubal Fulks and Lind­sey Strand-Polyak in vir­tu­oso dis­plays of instru­men­tal fire­works. Purcell’s Cha­conne and Cur­tain Tune on a Ground both use com­pelling bass lines to cre­ate dra­mat­ic scenes fit for the Eng­lish theatre.

Dis­play­ing the full grandeur and mag­nif­i­cence of the French Baroque, a selec­tion of dances from the tragédie lyrique Les Boréades by Jean-Philippe Rameau round out the pro­gram. Les Boréades retells the sto­ry of the Greek leg­end of Abaris the Hyper­bore­an, a descen­dant of Bore­as, the god of the North Wind. Rameau’s rich, col­or­ful bal­let music is the per­fect exhi­bi­tion of the depth of feel­ing and joy­ful spir­it of Sin­fo­nia Spir­i­tu­osa.

G.P. Tele­mann: Excerpts from Suite “La Bizarre”, TWV 55:G2

Johann Vier­dank: Pas­samez­zo and Gagliar­da for Two Vio­lins and Continuo

Lind­sey Strand-Polyak and Jubal Fulks, violins

Hen­ry Pur­cell: Cha­conne in G Minor, Z. 730

Hen­ry Pur­cell: “Cur­tain Tune on a Ground” from Tim­on of Athens, Z. 632

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Dances from Les Boréades

G.P. Tele­mann: Sin­fo­nia Spirituosa