Going Baroque

Claudia Figueroa

That the Baroque era defines a time in history when virtuosos composed

extraordinary music almost seems less important than the countless

composers and musicians it has inspired throughout three centuries.

Case in point: the Corona del Mar “Baroque Music Festival.”

The festival has several reasons to celebrate. This year marks the

festival’s 20th anniversary, as well the 250th year since the death of

Johann Sebastian Bach--whose works are an integral part of the event.

Burton Karson, the festival’s conductor and a Cal State Fullerton music

professor, said the cultural event was created 20 years ago to spotlight

sounds of the Baroque period, from 1600 to 1750.

“It was a very rich period of music,” he said, referring to the thousands

of church and secular cantatas of the time written by Bach and other

composers. “It also marked an era when music was becoming more available

to people all over, regardless of their social level.”

In previous years, the festival orchestra revived Baroque compositions by

Handel, Monteverdi, Vivaldi and other 17th and 18th century composers

whose works brightened an otherwise dark era.

This year, Karson said, the program is somewhat of a retrospective of the

festival’s last 20 years. It recently dabbled in works by Brahms,

Mendelssohn and Schumann, whose intricate yet extraordinary compositions

caught the tail end of the Baroque period.

The program Friday and Saturday will reprise music performed over the

last two decades, including various 18th century cantatas for recorder,

oboe and strings.

Organizers said they were very selective when choosing music for this

year’s festival; Karson wanted authentic pieces for the program, but

nothing too classical.

For instance, he said, “Feat of St. Michael” is a rare piece that Bach

wrote as a church cantata and will be performed this weekend.

Organizers did, however, save room for Baroque-inspired compositions

written by local composers. The James Hopkins organ concerto and the late

Robert Linn cantata “Joviah’s” are two 17th century-style variations that

were commissioned for the festival in 1996 and 1997.

Karson said today’s neo-Baroque music is very similar to the earlier

style: It’s produced with the same elements of dynamics, such as the use

of ornaments (a note that embellishes harmony or melody) and fugal

textures, he said.

Karson said one misconception people have about Baroque music is its

influence on 19th century composers.

“Mendelssohn, Brahms, Schumann, were all influenced by Baroque style,

especially by Bach. And, from what we know, Brahms was a member of the

Bach society,” Karson said. “But people often get Baroque mixed up with

neo-Baroque, which is not the same thing.”

Seemingly, Karson believes only one Baroque composer led the way for the

period. Being a huge fan of Bach, he said the highlight this year will be

the finale. In it, the festival orchestra will perform “Ich Lasse Dich

Nicta,” or “I’ll not let thee go,” a sacred chorale piece that Karson

says is one of Bach’s most dramatic compositions.

FYI

* WHAT: “Baroque Music Festival,” featuring works by Bach

* WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday

* WHERE: Friday’s performance will be held at Sherman Library & Botanical

Gardens, 2645 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar; Sunday’s concert is at

St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, 3233 Pacific View Drive,

Newport Beach

* HOW MUCH: $25-$30

* PHONE: (949) 760-7887