A concert of early classical music directed by the wonderful flautist and director of Florilegium, Professor Ashley Solomon who will perform the sublime Mozart Andante for flute and strings, K 315.
We are joined by the charismatic soprano, Angela Henckel for the glorious motet, Exsultate Jubilate and from his C minor Mass, Laudamus Te and Et incarnatus est.
Two symphonies complete our programme: the 'galant' style Symphony No 6 in G minor by JC Bach, the 'London Bach' and Haydn's sparkling Symphony No 62 in D, Hob 1/62. The Haydn Symphony was written in 1780 for the orchestra at Esterhazy and is a typically delightful affair in four movements for horns, wind and strings.
JC Bach was born to the 50 year old JS Bach and though taught by his father until he died in 1750, the gap in their ages measured the musical language emerging from the baroque towards the coming classical style. This symphony, exhuberant and elegant in turn, was written a few years after Bach arrived to live in London in 1762, where he was to remain until his death in 1782 (he is buried nearby at St Pancras Old Church). The work is not just melodic and pleasing but has some quite adventurous moments, not least in the curious questioning final cadence.
When the 8 year old Mozart came to London in 1762, he duetted with JC Bach on the piano and came to regard him highly and his musical development was very much influenced by Bach, maybe more even than by 'Papa' Haydn.