For its fifth such presentation in the “Early Music at the Grange” series, the ensemble Schola Galante is pleased to announce a program entitled All in the Family, chamber music from the courts of Frederick the Great and Anna Amalia.
The patronage system, which emerged in Europe as early as the 15th century, provided a framework through which nobility, religious institutions, and aƯluent members of society could commission artists, including well-known musicians, to create enduring works. Frederick the Great earned a reputation as a wealthy and powerful patron. However, his sister, the Princess Anna Amalia, also employed a staƯ of skilled musicians and composers to entertain her own court. It was also discovered fairly recently that Amalia herself composed and performed music of high quality, a rare circumstance for that era.
There were other familial or quasi-familial relationships between the musicians in both courts. Georg Philipp Telemann, a frequent visitor to both courts, was, for example, the godfather of CPE Bach, the primary harpsichordist for Frederick’s band. The relationship between Karl Friedrich Abel, another frequent visitor, and the Bach Family spanned two generations, evolving from a close professional friendship between their fathers into an influential teacher-student bond and ultimately a legendary business partnership. Finally, both Graun brothers (Johann Gottlieb and Carl Heinrich) were employed by Frederick.
This program features music by Graun, Telemann, Abel and Amalia.
Schola Galante’s members are Douglass Hjelm and Miguel Rode (Baroque flute), Dahti Blanchard (harpsichord) and Lee Inman (viola da gamba).
The concert will be held at the Quimper Grange in Port Townsend on October 10th, at 2:00 PM. Admission is $20 at the door. Music students of high-school age or younger are invited to attend free of charge.