Celebrate a baroque Christmas this festive season

Now in its 36th season, the Alberta Baroque Ensemble has faced many challenges and received countless bouquets in its quest to create soul-stirring music.

After two highly successful concerts this season, the ensemble celebrates its traditional Music For a Festive Season on Sunday, Dec. 6 at Robertson-Wesley United Church.

The nearly sold-out concert ushers in a broad-styled, baroque program with George Handel, Giuseppe Tartini, Dietrich Buxtehude and Antonio Vivaldi.

One of the ensemble’s most important elements is the influence from current conductor Paul Schieman. Always sensitive to the music, he is a bold leader who introduces scores of specialist players to create a range of musical possibilities reflecting the texts’ sentiments.

Once more, the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers under the direction of Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff join the ensemble. A natural choice, Ratzlaff has honed his 38-member choir into a beautiful blend of voices that mirrors his personal, dramatic approach to music.

In addition, Schieman brings to the microphone soprano Sarah Schaub, mezzo-soprano Emma Parkinson and baroque trumpeter Frédéric Payant.

To produce the full sound required from various works, two oboists Don Waldron and Beth Levia will provide extra fill for the 15-member ensemble.

The afternoon’s centrepiece is Vivaldi’s Gloria, a work he produced in 1715 for the choir of Ospedale della Pieta, a Venetian orphanage for girls. Noblemen and mistresses endowed it for their illegitimate daughters.

The orphanage prided itself on a program of musical education and Vivaldi, a priest and music teacher, composed many sacred works for the Ospedale. Gloria, from the Latin Mass, is one of his lesser-known works.

“It’s very sunny, very festive work,” said Schieman.

The program also contains Danish-German composer Dietrich Buxtehude’s Christmas Cantatas. Buxtehude’s music for Advent and Christmas reflects the emotional richness of the season, from joyous anticipation to sombre self-examination and spiritual preparation.

“It’s earlier Baroque music. The texture is different. It’s a lot thicker than the lighter Vivaldi,” Schieman noted.

In Suite for Trumpet, Handel reveals the exquisite clarity of the early baroque trumpet and clearly intended to push its limits. Frédéric Payant will solo through the movements using a baroque trumpet. Unlike the modern trumpet, it has no valves.

“It’s a brilliant work. Today many players use a piccolo or modern trumpet. The more natural baroque trumpet has a mellower sound. It’s less brilliant, but still as effective.”

Last but not least, Tartini’s violin-based Christmas Concerto Grosso has a strong pastoral element.

“According to all accounts he was an amazing violinist.”

The program concludes with a medley of popular carols.

“This is a kick-off to the Christmas season. We’ve been doing it for over 30 years and we have such a good following. It gives people a great feeling to start off the Christmas season.”