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Travel back in time to Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre. It’s May 1742 and the eccentric musician Mr Charles is hosting a vibrant showcase of the latest musical fashions from across Europe.

The Irish Baroque Orchestra is one of the most charismatic groups shining new light on musical performance from centuries past. They are joined by their artistic director Peter Whelan, who is well known to Scottish audiences as the former principal bassoonist of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Alongside the grandeur and pomp of George Frideric Handel’s Water Music, they convey the dancing rhythms of Francesco Geminiani’s ‘La folia’ Concerto grosso. The concert also showcases the splendour of the march from Jean-Baptiste Lully’s Le bourgeois gentilhomme and a showy horn duet by the enigmatic Mr Charles himself.

Presented by Edinburgh International Festival

Programme

Peter Whelan Director / Harpsichord

Handel Overture to Il pastor fido HWV 8c
Hasse Concerto in F
Hasse ‘Signora Barberini’s Minuet’ from Concerto Op 4 No 1
Handel ‘Va tacito e nascosto’ from Giulio Cesare (arr. Walsh)
Mr Charles ‘Chasse’ from Duets for Horn
Geminiani Concerto grosso Op 5 No 12 ‘La Folia’
Telemann Napolitana TWV 41 B4
Bocchi Sonata X for Cello
Handel Water Music (arr. Walsh)
Lully ‘Marche pour la Cérémonie des Turcs’ from Le bourgeois gentilhomme

Irish Baroque Orchestra