Virtual Concert Series @ Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
PRICE: $20 PER HOUSEHOLD—THIS VIRTUAL CONCERT PREMIERED DECEMBER 13 @ 4:00 PM; ONLINE ACCESS IS AVAILABLE UNTIL JANUARY 13, 2021.
Ring in the holiday season with The Santa Fe Symphony at one of our city’s most iconic destinations—the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in historic downtown Santa Fe!
Enjoy a chamber orchestra presentation of Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, conducted by our very own Maestro Guillermo Figueroa, as well as holiday favorites from The Santa Fe Symphony brass, strings, and more! Christmas Treasures premiered December 13 at 4:00 pm but will be available to view through January 13, 2021.
Sponsored by Century Bank with additional support by Christus St. Vincent
PROGRAM
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
Messiah Overture
Messiah Pastoral
Kerri Lay, Violin; Gabriela da Silva Fogo, Violin; Alan Mar, Violin; Carol Swift, Violin; Barbara Morris, Violin; Gloria Velasco, Violin; Anne Karlstrom, Violin; Valerie Turner, Violin; Christine Rancier, Viola; Joel Becktell, Cello; Viola da Braccio, Viola; Lisa Collins, Cello; Frank Murray, Bass; Terri Reck, Harpsichord
J.S. BACH
Cello Suite #1 in G Major, BWV 1007
Prelude
Menuets I & II
Gigue
Joel Becktell, Cello
IRVING BERLIN
White Christmas, arr. by Alan Civil
Jeffrey Rogers, Horn; Katelyn Benedict, Horn; Peter Erb, Horn; and Allison Tutton, Horn
CONSUELO VELASQUEZ
Besame Mucho, arr. by Arturo Pantaleon/Gabriel Soto
Jeffrey Rogers, Horn; Katelyn Benedict, Horn; Peter Erb, Horn; and Allison Tutton, Horn
GEORG PHILIPP TELEMANN
6 Canonic Sonatas – Sonata No. 2
I. Spiritoso
II. Larghetto
III. Allegro Assai
Gabriela da Silva Fogo, Violin and Kerri Lay, Violin
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAROL
Jingle Bells, arr. by Lowell Shaw
Jeffrey Rogers, Horn; Katelyn Benedict, Horn; Peter Erb, Horn; and Allison Tutton, Horn
ARCANGELO CORELLI
Christmas Concerto in G Minor
Soloists: Kerri Lay, Violin; Gabriela da Silva Fogo, Violin; Joel Becktell, Cello; Alan Mar, Violin; Carol Swift, Violin; Barbara Morris, Violin; Gloria Velasco, Violin; Anne Karlstrom, Violin; Valerie Turner, Violin; Christine Rancier, Viola; Viola da Braccio, Viola; Lisa Collins, Cello; Frank Murray, Bass; Terri Reck, Harpsichord
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAROL
Ding Dong Merrily On High, arranged by Marshall Fine
Kerri Lay, Violin; Gabriela da Silva Fogo, Violin; Alan Mar, Violin; Carol Swift, Violin; Barbara Morris, Violin; Gloria Velasco, Violin; Anne Karlstrom, Violin; Valerie Turner, Violin; Christine Rancier, Viola; Viola da Braccio; Joel Becktell, Cello; Lisa Collins, Cello; Frank Murray, Bass
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS CAROL
Eight Carols for Horn Quartet, arranged by Craig Levesque:
I Saw Three Ships
The Angel Gabriel
The First Noel
Joy to the World
O come, o come, Emmanuel
The Huron Carol
Jeffrey Rogers, Horn; Katelyn Benedict, Horn; Peter Erb, Horn; and Allison Tutton, Horn
If you have already subscribed or purchased tickets for any of the fall 2020 concerts, don’t worry! Whatever funds you have on account with us can be easily applied to our Virtual Concert Series. Or, if preferred, these funds can also be applied to next year’s subscription, converted into a tax-deductible gift, or fully refunded.
As for our originally-planned fall 2020 programming—these live concerts (Sep through Dec 2020) will move one year forward to the fall of 2021, with identical soloists and programming. You won’t miss a thing. Any changes regarding the spring schedule (Jan through May of 2021) will be announced at a later date.
Of Note
The music of Arcangelo Corelli (b. Fusignano, Italy, 1653; d. Rome, 1713) was key in the development of the modern genres of sonata and concerto, in establishing the preeminence of the violin, and as the first coalescing of modern tonality and functional harmony. His compositions for violin mark an epoch in the history of chamber music. His influence was not confined to his own country: Bach studied his works and based his organ fugue BWV 579 on Corelli’s Opus 3 of 1689. And Handel’s Opus 6 Concerti Grossi are modeled on Corelli’s Opus 6 Concerti.
Consuelo Velásquez (b. Mexico, 1916; d. Mexico, 2005) was only 16 when she wrote her enduring 1940s-era standard Bésame Mucho. The song became so popular that it was covered by hundreds of performers, including The Beatles, Nat “King” Cole, Plácido Domingo, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Xavier Cugat, The Ventures, Andrea Bocelli, José Carreras, and Diana Krall. Although known primarily for this song, Velásquez was the songwriter and lyricist of many Spanish tunes, such as Amar y Vivir, Verdad Amarga, Franquez, Que Seas Feliz, Abuela Abuela, Cachito, and Enamorada.
The traditional Greensleeves melody from the late 16th century is put to masterful use in this orchestral miniature by Ralph Vaughan Williams (b. Gloucestershire, England, 1872; d. London, 1958). This arrangement was initially used in the third act of the composer’s Shakespeare-inspired opera Sir John in Love (his only opera). In this delightful piece, he manages to capture the very essence of England in music. The serene, pastoral sounds evoke images of bucolic bliss, with lyrical string writing and particularly descriptive flute passages.
Listen on Spotify
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Program Notes
Christmas Treasures–December 13, 2020MessiahGeorge Frideric Handel(1685-1750)OverturePastoraleMessiah was commissioned by the Lord Lieutenant of Dublin and was an enormous success at its premiere performance in 1742, but it fell flat the same year in London. …