The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra brings an exquisite selection of Baroque masterpieces to Tauranga guaranteed to thrill classical music lovers and newcomers alike.
Get set to be captivated with the elegance and grandeur of music by Baroque giants Handel and Telemann, along with renowned English Baroque composer Matthew Locke.
The NZSO ensemble, featuring 26 of the finest musicians in Aotearoa New Zealand, will be led by the orchestra’s Concertmaster and passionate Baroque music violinist Vesa-Matti Leppänen.
Timeless Beauty: Handel & Telemann treats audiences to two astonishing works by Handel: his majestic and serene Overture and Symphonia from Occasional Oratorio and the sublime Alcina Suite from his opera.
Locke’s The Tempest, inspired by Shakespeare’s play, weaves themes of magic, illusion, and transformation.
NZSO Section Principal Trumpet Michael Kirgan, Associate Principal Trumpet David Johnson and Sub-Principal Trumpet Mark Carter as soloists alongside Section Principal Timpani Laurence Reese, will also come into their own for a performance of Telemann’s magnificent Concerto for 3 Trumpets and Timpani.
“I’m very excited to be part of the Telemann concerto, as it will be the first time I have played it,” says Reese.
“The Baroque era was when the timpani began to be utilised more and in diverse ways. I also get to play timpani for Handel’s Occasional Oratorio. What I like about the Telemann is that the timpani are a little bit more to the fore while this exhilarating music is propelled by Michael, David and Mark’s superb trumpet playing. Audiences will love it.”
Throughout the tour Reese will play on historically accurate timpani drums. The drumhead is made of goat skin and Reese uses wooden mallets, just like his 18th century counterpart did when the piece was first performed in 1716.
“This is the same sound that Telemann would have heard. It means 21st-century listeners get to enjoy a range of colour and tones genuinely like what their 18th-century audiences experienced.”
Prices
Adult: $48.12
Concession: $45.05
Child: $18.43