Crescendo At Home

What is an Oratorio? And – J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio: sacred or secular?

Recorded: December 2020, captioned and produced January 2022

Bach Scholar Alejandro Reyes Van Eweyk (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile) talks with Crescendo’s Founding Artistic Director Christine Gevert about the history and form of the oratorio, congregational singing, the chorale, and the first two cantatas of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio BWV 248.

PLUS! additional content recorded in December 2020

Additional selections from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio BWV 248, as well as other Christmas Baroque Music and Spirituals.

Festive Baroque Christmas Music and Bonus Content!

Recorded: December 20, 2021

An Open Rehearsal
Crescendo Chorus in rehearsal presents a final run-through of the December 20, 2021 session

A selection from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio BWV 248

• “Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht”, Choral II/12
• “Schaut hin”, Choral II/17
• “Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe”, Coro II/21
• “So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet”, Recitativo (Bass) II/12 and “Wir singen dir”, Choral II/23

“Ihr lieben Hirten” by Andreas Hammerschmidt

“O Magnum Mysterium” à 8 Giovanni Gabrieli

Italian Concerti

Recorded: October 29, 2021

The concerto form was popularized by Rome-based composer Arcangelo Corelli, and in the first part of the 18th century it dominated Italian instrumental music. Violin virtuosity reached a new height around the year 1700. Composers like Corelli, who was a virtuoso violinist, were the first to enjoy international recognition for their strictly instrumental ensemble works at a time when vocal music—mainly opera—was still predominant in Europe. Another giant of the Baroque, Antonio Vivaldi, also was an outstanding violin virtuoso, and he composed many works for strings and solo instruments. His playing was said to be so exhilarating and daring that a contemporary described himself as “terrified” when he heard it. Handel’s concertos were composed for performance in the intervals of his own oratorios.

Neither Louis Armstrong nor Miles Davis would have become such giants of trumpet without composers such as Torelli, Corelli and Vivaldi, who developed the repertoire for this instrument in their Baroque trumpet concertos. Our program features some of the most beloved works by these composers. Often associated with festive and splendorous celebrations such as coronations and Christmas, these are real “feel-good” pieces, offered to our audience in the troubled times of the pandemic.

How Lovely Are the Messengers

Recorded: September 3, 2021

Designed to comfort and uplift our audience members and all of Crescendo’s friends after the long absence of live concerts, this is a program for lovers of choral music. It features some of the most beloved and popular motets, anthems, and movements of famous choral works from composers such as Mozart, Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Tallis, Stainer and others. These are the melodies, harmonies and lyrics that you probably grew up hearing on special and festive occasions

Conversation Galante – A Courteous Conversation
18th Century French Baroque Flute Music

Recorded: August 13, 2021

This program explores the flute repertoire of the golden era of early chamber music by French composers of the first half of the 18th century, when Paris was the cultural center of Europe. At that time, the Baroque flute became the most popular wind instrument. The program showcases some of the most sophisticated and graceful flute solo and ensemble works by François Couperin, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Jacques-Martin Hotteterre, and Michel Pignolet de Montéclair.