2012 Festival Brochure

JULY 12–22 2012 San Francisco’s Summer Bach Festival Bach’s MASS IN B MINOR Rameau’s PIGMALION Purcell’s DIDO & AENEAS THE LEIPZIG MASTERS Distinguished Artist Series Chamber Music Series Academy-in-Action Series Free Public Lectures & Master Classes Colloquium: “Invitation to the Dance” all events at the

SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC 50 oak street at van ness

SFBACHFESTIVAL.org (415) 621-7900

2012 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS • Bach & Leipzig’s St. Thomas Church • • Renaissance & Restoration London • • Parisian Baroque Composers • The American Bach Soloists FESTIVAL & ACADEMY is held at the

Bach’s Mass in B Minor

The composition that many call the greatest musical work of all time will be performed by the ABS Academy Orchestra, the American Bach Choir, and soloists from the Academy, conducted by ABS Music Director Jeffrey Thomas.

Fanfare Magazine wrote that “Thomas’ direction seems just right, capturing the humanity of the music…there is no higher praise for Bach performance.”

Rameau’s PIGMALION & Purcell’s DIDO & AENEAS

In this double-bill of Baroque operas, love brings life to a statue and sorrowful death to a queen. Rameau’s protagonist, the sculptor Pigmalion, faithfully entreats Venus to turn his artistry into a beautiful (singing) creature. In Purcell’s tragedy, the ambitious Trojan Prince, Aeneas, leaves his betrothed Queen of Carthage abandoned and resigned to a lovelorn death. Vocalists and instrumentalists from the 2012 ABS Academy will be joined by the American Bach Choir in this evening about the magical and mortal powers of love.

Bach, Graupner, Kuhnau, and Telemann: THE LEIPZIG MASTERS

Johann Sebastian Bach succeeded Johann Kuhnau as cantor of the Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) in Leipzig. But Bach was the Leipzig town council’s third choice! This program of masterful compositions presents the music of Kuhnau and Bach, along with masterpieces by Christoph Graupner and Georg Philipp Telemann - the first and second choice candidates for the job.

Distinguished Artist Series: IAN HOWELL - VOICE & VIOLS

Praised by San Francisco Classical Voice for the “heart at the core of his soulful sound,” countertenor Ian Howell will present a recital accompanied by members of ABS and a viol consort drawn from the 2012 Academy. The performance will feature J.S. Bach’s solo cantata “Gott soll allein,” and music by William Byrd, Henry Purcell, Johann Christoph Bach, Georg Melchior Hoffman, and Franz Tunder.

Public Colloquium: “Invitation to the Dance”

Join Academy faculty and participants in an exploration of the dances that provide the foundation and framework of Baroque music. Guest artist Sandra Noll Hammond will give an informative presentation and lead Academy members in a Baroque Dance workshop.

An Afternoon with Robert Commanday

Robert Commanday, celebrated music critic, conductor, and founding editor of San Francisco Classical Voice, will give a lecture titled “A Millennium in 50 Years: The Discovery of Early Music,” about the rich history of the early music movement in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Following the lecture and joined by his colleagues and associates, Mr. Commanday’s outstanding contributions to the cultural life of Northern California will be celebrated at this special tribute.

The Festival Colloquium, Lectures, and Public Master Classes are free events.

For more information visit: SFBACHFESTIVAL.org

FESTIVAL EVENTS Masterworks Series

Annual performances of Bach’s Mass in B Minor, large-scale instrumental and vocal works, and concert performances of Baroque oratorio and opera.

Jeffrey Thomas conducts the American Bach Soloists Academy Orchestra and soloists, joined by the American Bach Choir and Festival Chorus. ($18 to $50)

Chamber Series

Virtuoso performances by the American Bach Soloists of both favorite and lesser-known masterpieces by Bach and his contemporaries. ($18 to $40)

Distinguished Artist Series

New for 2012, these concerts feature performances by acclaimed early music specialists. Within the framework of an intimate recital, instrumentalists and singers will present solo works with accompaniment, in programs built around themes of cultures, places, or events in history. ($18 to $40)

Academy-in-Action Series

These performances feature ABS Academy participants— the next generation of early music virtuosi—as they perform Bach cantatas conducted by Academy co-director Corey Jamason, and chamber music by masters of the Baroque. ($10)

Public Colloquium

Engaging forums for performers, presenters, and audience members alike explore a variety of topics including arts collaborations, education, community outreach, and trends in arts programming. (Free)

Lecture Series

Join the members of the American Bach Soloists Academy for a series of enlightening and informative public lectures presented by the Academy faculty and guest speakers. (Free)

Master Class Series

The ABS Academy opens its doors to the public to witness the artistic transformations that make Master Classes so tremendously exciting. You’ll take with you knowledge and insights usually known only to performers and their master teachers. (Free)

American Bach Soloists Academy

In July 2010, ABS inaugurated North America’s newest annual professional training program in Historically Informed Performance Practice. The American Bach Soloists Academy—the educational component of the ABS Summer Bach Festival—offers advanced conservatory-level students and emerging professionals unique opportunities to study and perform Baroque music in a multi-disciplinary learning environment.

Elizabeth Blumenstock violin & viola

Ian Howell

countertenor

Corey Jamason harpsichord

Steven Lehning violone

Judith Malafronte alto

Michael McCraw bassoon

Robert Mealy violin & viola

THURSDAY JULY 12 5:00 p.m. Opening Night Gala Dinner 8:00 p.m. Chamber Series: Music by J. S. Bach • Sonata in A Major for Violin & Harpsichord • Ich habe genug, cantata 82 • Sonata in D Major for Viola da gamba & Harpsichord • Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B-flat Major FRIDAY JULY 13 8:00 p.m. Chamber Series: Parisian Baroque • Couperin: Sonata “La Sultane” & La Paix du Parnasse • Leclair: Flute Sonata No. 2 in E Minor • Clerambault: Chaconne in D Major • Rameau: IIIe Pièce de Clavecin en Concert SATURDAY JULY 14 2:30 p.m. Public Colloquium: “Invitation to the Dance” 8:00 p.m. Masterworks Series: The Leipzig Masters • Kuhnau: Ihr Himmel jubilirt von Oben • Graupner: Magnificat in C Major • Telemann: La Bourse (Paris Stock Exchange) • Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major SUNDAY JULY 15 2:00 p.m. Masterworks Series: Mass in B Minor MONDAY JULY 16 3:00 p.m. Master Class: Harpsichord 5:00 p.m. Lecture: Jeffrey Thomas - The Evolution of Bach’s Cantatas 8:00 p.m. Academy-in-Action • Bach Cantatas and works by Baroque masters TUESDAY JULY 17 3:00 p.m. Master Class: Violin & Viola 5:00 p.m. Lecture: Corey Jamason - A Day in the Life of a Parisian Musician 8:00 p.m. Academy-in-Action • Bach Cantatas and works by Baroque masters WEDNESDAY JULY 18 3:00 p.m. Master Class: Voice 5:00 p.m. Lecture: Steven Lehning - Purcell’s Orchestra 8:00 p.m. Academy-in-Action • Bach Cantatas and works by Baroque masters THURSDAY JULY 19 3:00 p.m. Master Class: ‘Cello/Viola da gamba/Violone 5:00 p.m. Lecture: Debra Nagy - Rameau the Revolutionary FRIDAY JULY 20 3:00 p.m. Master Class: Winds & Brass 5:00 p.m. Lecture: Robert Mealy - Rameau & the Metamorphosis of the Baroque 8:00 p.m. Masterworks Series: Pigmalion and Dido & Aeneas SATURDAY JULY 21 4:30 p.m. Lecture: Robert Commanday A Millennium in 50 Years...The Discovery of Early Music 8:00 p.m. Distinguished Artist Series: Ian Howell - Voice & Viols • Songs and Consort Music by William Byrd and Henry Purcell • J.C. Bach: Ach, daß ich Wassers gnug hätte • Hoffmann: Schlage doch, gewünschte Stunde • J.S. Bach: Gott soll allein mein Herze haben, cantata 169

Sandra Miller flauto traverso

Debra Nagy

oboe & recorder

Elisabeth Reed

violoncello & viola da gamba

SUNDAY JULY 22 2:00 p.m. Masterworks Series: Mass in B Minor Program and Artists subject to change.

All events at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 50 Oak Street.

americanbach.org (415) 621-7900

William Sharp baritone

Jeffrey Thomas conductor

John Thiessen trumpet

Tanya Tomkins violoncello

at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music

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Thursday July 12: Works by J.S. Bach

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Friday July 13: Parisian Baroque

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Sunday July 15 Bach’s Mass in B Minor

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Friday July 20 Pigmalion/Dido & Aeneas

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Saturday July 21 Ian Howell + Viols

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Sunday July 22 Bach’s Mass in B Minor

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ACADEMY-IN-ACTION - General Admission Monday July 16

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