LATE HAVE I LOVED THEE
Passionate Italian Baroque
September 20-22, 2019
This concert will explore the particular character of Italian baroque, which involves dramatic gesture in melody and improvisation, rhythmic playfulness, experimental instrumentation and dialogue between soloist and ensemble, expressive text-setting in madrigals, and the beginnings of opera and concerto form. Countertenor Nathan Medley joins the instrumental band of Three Notch’d Road for the imaginative genius of Vivaldi, Scarlatti, Uccellini, and Pandolfi.
O BEAUTY
A Baroque Christmas from Around the World December 6-8, 2019
Three Notch’d Road celebrates Christmas with a geographically broad program from Europe and the Americas. Bass singer Peter Walker and soprano Katelyn Aungst join the instrumentalists of Three Notch’d Road for traditional folk tunes and hymns alongside works of the great High Baroque composers. From Poland’s Grzegorz Gerwazy Gorczycki to Germany’s J.S. Bach, from Spain’s Tomas Luis de Victoria to Mexico’s Gaspar Fernández, and from England’s Henry Purcell to Boston’s William Billings, the Nativity of Christ has inspired music of tremendous beauty.
EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW
Bach & Nowakowski on the Soul’s Awakening March 6-8, 2020
Continuing our cycle of Bach cantatas, this program during Lent 2020 will feature penitential music of J.S. Bach from various sacred works, including arias from his famous Matthäus-Passion and Johannes-Passion and solo organ works. Three Notch’d Road has commissioned living American composer Mark Nowakowski’s “Quo Vadis” and will give the world premiere of this work, scored for three singers and instrumental ensemble. The text recounts a Christian tradition that when St. Peter tried to flee martyrdom, on the road of escape he saw a vision of Christ who asked, “Quo vadis/Where are you going?” which encouraged Peter’s return to his duty and ultimately his own crucifixion in Rome.
ALLELUIA
Praetorius for Easter
April 24-26, 2020
The Church’s tradition of minimal musical performance during the forty days of Lent lead naturally to a kind of musical “bursting forth” in celebration of Easter. This program in collaboration with a choral ensemble will contain works for double and even triple choirs singing antiphonally, along with an instrumental band of strings, trombone, and recorders. As guest Program Director, Jeremy Ward is a familiar face to our audiences. Michael Praetorius (probably 15 February 1571 – 15 February 1621) is one of several German composers with the same surname from the early German baroque.