In Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ masterful and emblematic 18th-century epistolary novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the Marquise de Merteuil tickles, delights and at the same time emasculates both her sparring partner Valmont and the reader with artful, witty virtuosity. A razor-sharp, humorous image here, a play on words there, a slightly confounded expectation, an erotic … [Read more...] about Jean-Marie Leclair: Seduction and Rococo Art
Baroque
A highly personal note to an international concert program
Plum Blossoms and Fleurs de Lis: War and Peace in the Forbidden City and Versailles Four Nations Ensemble and Music From China Sunday, April 21st at 6 PM Salon Sanctuary Concerts in New York City Thursday, April 25th at 8 PM Market Square Concerts in Harrisburg Pennsylvania I met Albert Fuller in New York in 1967 after his recital on the Hunter College Harpsichord … [Read more...] about A highly personal note to an international concert program
Lamentations and Ululations: Notes before a program
Antonio Vivaldi came to prominence on the coat tails of Johann Sebastian Bach. This was a favor returned, as Bach’s own style went through a metamorphosis with his discovery of the Venetian master’s brilliant energy and rational, transparent, and effective form. Everything in Bach evolved, from harpsichord music to extended arias and choral writing. So, when the Bach … [Read more...] about Lamentations and Ululations: Notes before a program