Night Music: Bach Family Concert "Ich bin ein Berliner"

Night Music, a period-instrument chamber ensemble, will present “‘Ich bin ein Berliner’: Music from the Court of Frederick the Great” at Powel House, 244 S. 3rd Street, on Wednesday, May 21. Pre-concert talk by musicologist Dr. Ellen Exner (The Juilliard School) at 6:30 PM, concert at 7:00 PM. Featuring Karen Dekker, violin, Steven Zohn, flute, Heather Miller Lardin, viola da gamba, and John Walthausen, harpsichord. The finest among eighteenth-century composers wrote music not only for entertainment, but also to educate and inspire those who paid their salaries. In “Ich bin ein Berliner,” Night Music invites audiences to a multifaceted experience of musical life at the Berlin court of Frederick the Great of Prussia – including an opportunity to connect with the musicians over a mid-concert reception (with jelly donuts, naturally!) As an avid music lover and staunch supporter of the arts, Frederick played the flute and composed. Night Music’s program highlights the king’s musical circle, including his sister Anna Amalia, his flute teacher and other court musicians, and several members of the Bach family. Featured is the dramatic trio sonata from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Musical Offering, the linchpin of an epic collection based on a fugue subject that Frederick himself presented to Bach. Tickets required; “Pay what you can”: suggested donation $25 for General Admission, $50 for Premium Seating. Audiences describe Night Music’s concerts in the historic ballroom of Powel House as "a rejuvenating and delightful evening" and "a wonderful performance in the perfect setting." Night Music, now in its 10th season, is a period-instrument chamber ensemble based in the greater Philadelphia area. Its repertoire centers on the Classical and early Romantic periods (roughly 1750–1850), highlighting excellent yet seldom-heard music by composers both familiar and obscure. The ensemble’s mission is to explore this repertoire with audiences in Philadelphia and beyond.