Join us on Sunday, Dec. 5th at 1 PM on WRTI 90.1 and Monday, Dec. 6th at 7 PM on WRTI HD-2 when conductor Nicholas McGegan—best known as a baroque and classical specialist—will be on the podium to conduct this 2018 concert broadcast featuring music not only of the baroque era, but also later re-imaginings of that past.
The great 20th-century Italian composer Ottorino Respighi wrote many works that transformed the past, and one of them begins this concert: the first of his three suites called Ancient Airs and Dances, arrangements that drew upon 16th-century lute music.
Then, two concertos from the 1730s—Handel’s 4th Organ Concerto, which he performed himself to accompany one of his oratorios, with organ soloist Peter Richard Conte, and a concerto grosso by the Italian composer of the 18th century, Pietro Locatelli. The Concerto Grosso No. 4 from Locatelli’s Op.7 will be given its first-ever Philadelphia Orchestra performance.
After intermission, a sparkling overture by Rossini, one of the staples of the concert hall repertory, the curtain-raiser to his opera La Cenerentola.
Sunday’s concert concludes with Igor Stravinsky’s look to the past in a suite from his music to the ballet Pulcinella, a pioneering piece in the new trend of Neo-classicism, in this case based on music from the early 18th century. The orginal themes were thought to have been composed by Giovanni Pergolesi, though recent scholarship seems to prove that Pergolesi was not, in fact, the author of these tunes.
During intermission, WRTI’s Susan Lewis speaks backstage with Maestro McGegan, and Debra Lew Harder gets some insights from organist Peter Richard Conte.
PROGRAM
Respighi: Ancient Airs and Dances Suite No.1
Handel: Organ Concerto No. 4
Peter Richard Conte, organ
Locatelli: Concerto Grosso No 4 in F, Op. 7
INTERMISSION
Rossini: La Cenerentola Overture
Stravinsky: Suite from Pulcinella
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Nicholas McGegan, conductor
Listen to The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert broadcasts, every Sunday at 1 PM on WRTI 90.1, streaming online at WRTI.org, and on our mobile app! Listen again on Mondays at 7 PM on WRTI HD-2, and on WRTI Replay for up to two weeks after broadcast.
