PBO/VIRTUAL Grand Finale - Notes from the Music Director

PBO/VIRTUAL Grand Finale
airs Thursday, May 25, 2021 | 8PM PT
on our RUclips channel
"Little Missed Muffat...and a Loose Canon"
Welcome to this final concert of our Virtual Season. And huge apologies for the horrific wordplay of my title! The program's meat is 3 amazing string 'concerti' by the brilliant, but unjustly ignored, 17th century composer Georg Muffat. Born in France (with a father of Scottish descent), his richly varied and vivid concertos show the dual influence of both Lully and Corelli. It is wonderfully surprising music, full of fantasy and passion. We present three concerti from his 'Armonico Tributo' from 1682, a set that has a lush 5-part string scoring with 2 viola parts. Sit back and take in this delicious stuff - I advise listening whilst imbibing a great Claret! As a fine and well-deserved treat, we give you one of the most beloved Baroque bon-bons - Pachelbel's Canon and Gigue. Bon appétit.
-Richard Egarr