Author: Donna Ardizzoni

GLOUCESTER MEETINGHOUSE FOUNDATION

presents

The Musicians of the Old Post Road

‘Christmas with the Bach Family’

Friday, December 14, 2018, 7:30pm

Corner of Middle & Church Street, Gloucester, MA

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The Musicians of the Old Post Road, a renowned New England chamber music ensemble

consisting of violin, viola, cello, flute and harpsichord, will perform seasonal works of Johann

Sebastian Bach and other composers of the Bach family with distinguished vocal soloists in the

historic (1806) Gloucester Meetinghouse.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Musicians of the Old Post Road return for their 3^rd season in the Meetinghouse. They will

present a banquet of Bach family works for the holidays including Johann Christoph Friedrich

Bach’s rarely-performed and delightful oratorio Die Kindheit Jesu, along with a sumptuous

sampling of arias from Christmas cantatas by Bach brothers Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm

Friedemann, cousin Johann Ludwig, and of course, Johann Sebastian Bach.

The ensemble is joined in this concert by soprano Jessica Petrus, mezzo-soprano Catherine

Hedberg, tenor Jonas Budris, and baritone Bradford Gleim.

The Musicians of the Old Post Road is a chamber ensemble, based in the Boston area, that

specializes in the period instrument performance of dynamic and diverse music from the

Baroque to early Romantic eras. Its repertoire includes compelling “rediscovered” works that

have been lost to audiences for centuries. Audiences and critics agree that Old Post Road’s

approach to historical performance is fresh and engaging. In 1998, the group was chosen as the

recipient of the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society. The

ensemble has toured North America and Europe and has six CD recordings to its credit.

Founded by Artistic Directors Suzanne Stumpf and Daniel Ryan, the ensemble takes its name

from its acclaimed concert series, originally entitled Old Post Road Historic Concerts, begun in

1989. 1989. The concert series brings period instrument performances to historical buildings such as

meetinghouses, churches, mansions, and museums. The venues trace the route of the old

Boston Post Road, the first thoroughfare connecting Boston and New York City beginning in the

1670s. The ensemble’s repertoire stretches from the late 17th to the mid-19th century, the

exact period of the Old Post Road’s importance. In 2006, the ensemble was featured on WCVB

television’s Chronicle program about the history of the old Boston Post Road.

TICKETS ONLINE OR AT THE DOOR – cash, check or credit card

Preferred $45

General $30

Students $10 with ID

12 & Under Free

LOCATION AND MORE INFORMATION

The Gloucester Meetinghouse (home of the Unitarian Universalist Church) is located on the

green at the corner of Church and Middle Street. Event parking is allowed on the green and is

available at other parking lots nearby in the Historic District. An elevator up to the Sanctuary

level is available from the side entrance at 10 Church Street. For anyone unable to pay, limited

free tickets are available; email requests to info@gloucestermeetinghouse.org For advance

ticket purchases and more information please visit www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org

The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is delighted to host The Musicians of the Old Post Road in their third performance in the Meetinghouse on Friday, December 14th at 7:30pm.  They are a highly renowned New England chamber music ensemble consisting of violin, viola, cello, flute and harpsichord/organ.  For this concert called ‘Christmas with the Bach Family’ they will be joined by distinguished vocal soloists soprano Jessica Petrus, mezzo-soprano Catherine Hedberg, tenor Jonas Budris, and baritone Bradford Gleim.

This banquet of Bach family works will include Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach’s rarely-performed and delightful oratorio ‘Die Kindheit Jesu,’ along with a sumptuous sampling of arias from Christmas cantatas by Bach brothers Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm Friedemann, cousin Johann Ludwig, and of course, Johann Sebastian Bach. Founded by Artistic Directors Suzanne Stumpf and Daniel Ryan, the ensemble takes its name from its acclaimed concert series, originally entitled Old Post Road Historic Concerts, begun in 1989, bringing period instrument performances to historical buildings like our treasured 1806 Gloucester Meetinghouse.

We are thrilled to welcome them back and hope you will help us get the word out to help build a large audience for another magical holiday musical feast.

The Press Release and Poster are attached (Poster also below).

Charles L. Nazarian, president

Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation

10  Church

Street
Gloucester, MA 01930

cell: 978-821-5291