Longmont Symphony at Stewart Auditorium, Colorado Chamber Players in Broomfield

By Peter Alexander Oct. 21 at 5:15 p.m.

The Longmont Symphony nears the end of its Beethoven symphony cycle this weekend at the intimate Stewart auditorium of the Longmont Museum.

Conductor Elliot Moore leads the orchestra in the next-to-last of the composer’s nine symphonies, in a cycle that was begun in 2018 and continued nearly unabated through the recent pandemic. The Symphony No. 8 in F major, op. 93, will be joined on the program by the Symphony in G major by Beethoven’s contemporary and lifelong friend Anton Reicha.

The concert will be presented twice, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2s2, and 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23. Tickets are available here.

Beethoven referred to his Eight Symphony, one of his lighter and more cheerful works, as “my little symphony in F.” It is more classical in structure and style than either the Sixth or Seventh symphonies, which were more revolutionary than the 8th. Written while Beethoven was trying to prevent his brother Nikolaus Johann from marrying, the score reveals none of the emotional turmoil that both were undergoing at the time.

Reicha became Beethoven’s friend when both played in the court orchestra in Bonn. Only a few of his wind quintets are known today, and his orchestral works, because they were never adequately catalogued, are almost never played. The Longmont Symphony is calling their performance of the Symphony in G “its premiere performance as a fully restored work after a very long 200 year wait.”

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Longmont Symphony, Elliot Moore, conductor

• Anton Reicha: Symphony in G major (premiere of restored version)
• Beethoven: Symphony No. 8 in F major, op. 93

7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22
4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23
Stewart Auditorium, Longmont Museum

TICKETS   

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The Colorado Chamber Players aim to transport listeners into the “Twilight Zone” for the Halloween season.

The program, subtitled “Strange and Supernatural Music of the Baroque,” will be presented in Denver (Oct. 21), Montclair (Oct. 22) and Broomfield (7:30 p.m. Broomfield Auditorium; details below). The music selected for the program has been incorporated into a musical and poetic hybrid theater work by John Harwell. Music will be performed by members of the Colorado Chamber Players, and narration and poetry recitation by actor Chris Kendall.

The Baroque era is usually defined as music of the 17^th and early 18^th centuries. Many of the works from this era, particularly music by Vivaldi, Handel and Bach, have become very popular today, but the word “Baroque” was not originally meant as a compliment. Meaning “bizarre” or “oddly shaped,” it was applied to music that broke from the patterns of Renaissance music in various unexpected ways. As such, programming of Baroque music for Halloween makes sense.

Some of the musical pieces portray grotesque subjects, such as Marin Marias’ Tableau de l’Operation de la Taille (A description of the operation of the stone) for bass viola da gamba and narrator. Others, like Henry Purcell’s Fantasia No 4 in E minor for viols, are included for their unusual and unsettling sound content. 

Tartini’s “Devil’s Trill” Sonata for solo violin and bass is included for it’s legendary origin in a dream where the composer saw the Devil playing the violin. Other works on the program are by Heinrich Biber and Anthony Holborne. 

Now in their 29^th season, the Colorado Chamber Players have grown from a string trio in 1993 to a mixed ensemble of 10 players today. The versatile group includes a string quartet, string bass, flute, harp, piano, viola d’amore and voice. Located in Denver, they perform concerts, educational programs and broadcasts of collaborative chamber works throughout the Denver and front-range region.

For more information, visit the CCP Facebook page.

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“Twilight Zone: Strange and Supernatural Music of the Baroque”
Music/theater hybrid work by Josh Hartwell
Poetry and narration performed by Chris Kendall
Music performed by Colorado Chamber Players

Program includes:

• Henry Purcell: Fantasia No 4 in E minor for viols
• Marin Marais: Tableau de l’Operation de la Taille (A description of the operation of the stone) for bass viola da gamba and narrator
• Giuseppe Tartini: Violin Sonata in G minor (“Devil’s Trill”)
• Music by Heinrich Biber and Anthony Holborne, and poetry by Emily Dickinson, Moya Cannon and Robert Herrick

7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23
Broomfield Auditorium

TICKETS