Chicago Philharmonic

Breathtaking and Spectacular performance. The audience was enthralled with the orchestra for their innovation!

Thank the Sultans of Groupon, and the Board of the Chicago Phiharmonic Orchestra, who allowed me to purchase a ticket for Sunday’s concert at Pick-​Staiger Hall. Called «Going for Baroque», it featured (no surprise here, from the title) mostly music of the Baroque period.
The concert consisted of Baroque masters J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handl, and the almost-​classical but mostly baroque Carl Phillip Emanuel Bach. The orchestra, according to the website, draws many of its members from the Lyric Opera Orchestra, as well as other career musicians from the Chicago area.
If you are a true Baroque purist, you should be aware that this concert was performed on modern instruments. Some people apparently think that period pieces should be performed on period instruments, so that the modern audience can get closer to hearing what Antonio Vivaldi heard. For example, an absolutely wonderful piccolo player named Alyce Johnson performed pieces that were originally written for the sopranino recorder. It ain’t what Vivaldi heard, not exactly, but who cares? I like hearing original instruments, but this was really good, too.
I enjoyed this group, and the musical selections, very much. While some compositions from this group of Baroque composers are familiar, the Chicago Philharmonic dug a little deeper into the repertoire for Sunday’s concert.
The guest conductor and harpsichorist was David Schrader. Along with his musical duties, he also offered a brief history and background of the selected compositions, and I liked that, too. While I really enjoy Baroque and classical music, I am most definitely not a scholar. Getting a little more information broadened my knowledge and enriched the musical experience.
And for you Groupon-​aholics, I had absolutely no problem redeeming my Groupon.
It was a delightful evening. I highly recommend the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra. Even if you have to pay full price.