The Handel and Haydn Society will celebrate Haydn + Mozart in the new year with a dazzling pairing of an H+H premiere from Mozart with two of Haydn’s masterpieces. In one of his final performances as Artistic Director, Harry Christophers will lead the orchestra in Haydn’s Symphony No. 103, Drum Roll, while all eyes will be on the dynamic concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky as she performs Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1, an H+H premiere. The H+H Chorus will join the H+H Orchestra for a performance of Haydn’s monumental mass Theresienmesse. The concerts will take place Friday, January 28th at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 30th at 3 p.m. at Symphony Hall in Boston.
Mozart’s sunny First Violin Concerto will feature concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky. The high-spirited Allegro moderato and Presto will allow Nosky to showcase her mastery of historically informed performance, revealing the freshness of this Concerto with the excitement of when the music first premiered.
Named for its dramatic timpani opening, Haydn’s Symphony No. 103, Drum Roll brilliantly combines trumpets, drums, and woodwinds. One of Haydn’s last London Symphonies, the program is a treat for audiences, cleverly showcasing Haydn’s mature compositional style.
“Even in his 13th season as Artistic Director, Harry Christophers continues to give our audiences something new, as he finds the perfect works to let our musicians shine,” said David Snead, President and CEO of the Handel and Haydn Society. “The performances will be recorded for future release on the Coro label, H+H’s 16th recording of the Harry Christophers era, which will complete the trilogy of Haydn Masses conducted by Christophers. These concerts also will continue toward the completion of Aisslinn Nosky’s recordings with H+H of the five Mozart violin concertos.”
Tickets may be purchased by calling 617.266.3605, or visiting handelandhaydn.org. Student and group discounts are also available. All individuals at Symphony Hall will be required to show proof of vaccination and to wear a mask at all times.
H+H’s 2021-22 Season Performances include:
Beethoven Symphony No. 7 January 7 + 9 Symphony Hall
Haydn + Mozart January 28 + 30 Symphony Hall
Bach Brandenburg Concertos February 4 + 5 + 6 NEC’s Jordan Hall
Bach + Vivaldi Gloria April 1 + 3 Symphony Hall
Haydn The Creation April 29 + May 1 Symphony Hall
About the Handel and Haydn Society
Boston’s Grammy-winning Handel and Haydn Society is dedicated to performing Baroque and Classical music with a freshness, a vitality, and a creativity that inspires all ages. H+H has been captivating audiences for 207 consecutive seasons (the most of any performing arts organization in the United States) speaking to its singular success at converting new audiences to this extraordinary music, generation after generation. Today, H+H’s Orchestra and Chorus delight more than 50,000 listeners annually with a nine-week subscription series at Boston Symphony Hall and other leading venues. Through the Karen S. and George D. Levy Education Program, H+H supports seven youth choirs of singers in grades 2-12 and provides thousands of complimentary tickets to students and communities throughout Boston, ensuring the joy of music is accessible to all. H+H’s numerous free community concerts include an annual commemoration of the original 1863 Emancipation Proclamation concert on December 31. The artistic director of the Handel and Haydn Society is Harry Christophers. Under Christophers’s leadership, H+H has released 15 CDs on the Coro label and has toured nationally and internationally. In all these ways, H+H fulfills its mission to inspire the intellect, touch the heart, elevate the soul, and connect us with our shared humanity through transformative experiences with Baroque and Classical music.
