Louis XIV, king of France and Navarre (1638-1715).By Greg StepanichIn the days when Louis XIV was an actual presence and not merely the name of a favorite rococo interior design fashion, the faithful gathered in churches for communion with the Almighty but also for music, for the sound of a pure, unclouded voice ascending into the severe angles of … [Read more...]
Music review: From Firebird, a peerless night of Bach
Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg (1677-1734),dedicatee of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.By Greg StepanichOn the one hand, it's no mystery why the Brandenburg Concertos of J.S. Bach should be so rarely played in local concerts.Engaging as they are, canonical and popular as they unquestionably are, they are also very difficult. And in some ways, that only deepens the … [Read more...]