Corelli and Handel incorporated pastoral melodies to the lilting rhythms of the shepherds in the Christmas Concerto and Messiah. To round off the evening: Mozart’s best-known symphony and one of Haydn’s works in the same genre.

Programme

George Frideric Handel, Messiah (orchestral excerpts)
Joseph Haydn, Symphony No. 104, “London”
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 40
Arcangelo Corelli, Christmas Concerto

Description

In days of old, the shepherds of the Abruzzi followed the custom of descending into Rome with their sheep to celebrate Christmas to the sounds of zampognas, or traditional Italian bagpipes. Corelli and Handel, who had witnessed this custom first hand, incorporated pastoral melodies to the lilting rhythms of the shepherds, respectively in the Christmas Concerto and Messiah. To round off the evening: Mozart’s best-known symphony and one of Haydn’s works in the same genre, filled with all the warmth of the season.

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