Music by Merulo, Sweelinck, Valentini, and Anonymous.

Works by Wolfgang Amadé Mozart, Otto Carl Erdmann Freiherr von Kospoth and Josef Triebensee.

Calamus Consort
Mario Aschauer (Hammerklavier)
Carin van Heerden (Oboe und Englischhorn)
Ernst Schlader (Klarinette und Bassetthorn)
Markus Springer (Bassetthorn)
Ivan Calestani (Fagott)
Michael Söllner (Horn)

Harmonia Stellarum core members Manami Mizumoto (Baroque violin) and Renée Rybolt (soprano) join Mario Aschauer to perform virtuosic fireworks by Austrian Baroque composers Attilio Ariosti, Georg Muffat, H. I. F. von Biber, Johann Joseph Fux, and Emperor Leopold I. himself.

Afterwards we will present Harmonia Stellarum's inaugural 2022/23 season at a traditional Kaffeejause with Viennese cake, coffee, and tea.

Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052

Mercury Chamber Orchestra
Mario Aschauer, Harpsichord
Antoine Plante, Conductor

Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major, version for piano four-hands by Joseph Schalk

Diego Caetano and Mario Aschauer, piano

The Four Seasons is one of Baroque legend Antonio Vivaldi’s most beloved works and is among the most popular pieces in the classical music repertoire. The piece is composed of four three-movement concertos, each resembling its respective season.  “Spring” evokes singing birds and soft breezes, the final movement of “Summer” brings to mind a thunderstorm, “Autumn” calls up a peasant dance, and “Winter” calls to mind icy rain.

Victoria Bach Festival Baroque Orchestra
Stephen Redfield, leader

Pre-concert talk with George Stauffer, 6:30 pm.

Mercury Chamber Orchestra (period instruments)
Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Chamber Music on Period Instruments

W. A. Mozart: Piano Quartet in G Minor, K. 478
J. Haydn: Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Hob. XV/30
E. A. Förster: Quartet for Keyboard, Violin, Viola, and Cello, op. 10

La Speranza
Mario Aschauer, Fortepiano

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24, “Spring Sonata”

EMANUEL ALOYS FÖRSTER

Violin Sonata in E-flat major

Performers

Jonathan Godfrey, Violin
Mario Aschauer, Fortepiano

Johann Sebastian Bach

Violin Concerto in E major, BWV 1042
Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052

Georg Philipp Telemann

Ouverture-Suite in B minor, TWV 55:h4

Jonathan Godfrey, violin
Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Mercury Chamber Orchestra (period instruments)

Johann Sebastian Bach

Violin Concerto in E major, BWV 1042
Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052

Georg Philipp Telemann

Ouverture-Suite in B minor, TWV 55:h4

Jonathan Godfrey, violin
Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Mercury Chamber Orchestra (period instruments)

Johann Sebastian Bach

Violin Concerto in E major, BWV 1042
Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052

Georg Philipp Telemann

Ouverture-Suite in B minor, TWV 55:h4

Jonathan Godfrey, violin
Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Mercury Chamber Orchestra (period instruments)

Program

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Concerto for Strings in E minor, RV 133

Concerto for Two Cellos in G minor, RV 531

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV 1052

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)

Organ Concerto in G minor, Op.4, No.1, HWV 289

J.S. Bach

Violin Concerto No.2 in E major, BWV 1042

Mercury Chamber Orchestra
Jonathan Godfrey, Violin
Mario Aschauer, Harpsichord and Organ
Antoine Plante, Conductor

Mercury Chamber Orchestra (period instruments)

Claudio Merulo (1533–1604)
Toccata duodecimo detto sesto tuono
from: Toccate d’intavolatura d’organo … libro secondo (Rome, 1604)

Giovanni Maria Trabaci (c. 1575–1647)
Sesto tono cromatico
from: Secondo libro de ricercate (Naples, 1615)

Claudio Merulo
Content [after the chanson by T. Crecquillon]
from: Terzo libro de canzoni d’intavolatura d’organo (Venice, 1611) 

Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583–1643)
Partite sopra Follia
from: Toccate e partite d’intavolatura di cimbalo […] libro primo (Rome, 1615)

Giovanni de Macque (1548–1614)
Seconda Gagliarda
from: GB-Lbl Ms Add. 30491

Harpsichord after Giovanni Celestini (Venice, 1599) by Joel Katzman (Amsterdam, 2011), 1/4-comma meantone temperament

The Houston Chamber Choir’s last concert of the 2018-2019 Season, Leipzig After Bach, provides the final piece to our diverse and entertaining season of choral music. The names Johann Doles, Johann Hiller and Johann Schicht may not register with us today but they were among those entrusted with the musical life of the Thomaskirche after the time of J.S. Bach.  Assisted by noted University of Houston scholar Jeffrey Sposato, author of the upcoming book this concert is based upon, we take a rare look into the music for chorus and orchestra of these composers whose work has been largely overshadowed by the brilliance of their illustrious predecessor. 

Houston Chamber Choir
Robert Simpson, conductor
Mario Aschauer, organ/harpsichord

In the early seventeenth century, composers from all over the Holy Roman Empire came to Venice to study with Giovanni Gabrieli, organist at St. Mark’s. One of the choral styles they were eager to learn was the cori spezzati technique, in which two or more choirs sing in alternation. The style spread quickly and inspired composers in Italy and North of the alps. This program, designed in the format of a Vespers for St. Caecilia’s Day, traces the polychoral style in Italy, Germany, and Austria

Bach Society Houston
Sam Houston State Early Music Ensemble
Rick Erickson and Mario Aschauer, conductors

​

Music by Vivaldi, Handel, Locatelli, and Biber with Mercury

Bach’s complete concerti for two harpsichords with the Bach Society Houston. Mario Aschauer and Rick Erickson, harpsichords.

J. S. Bach: Christmas Magnificat, BWV 243a

Houston Symphony Chorus Chamber Ensemble
Mercury (Mario Aschauer, continuo)
Antoine Plante, Conductor

Paper presented at the AMS/SMT San Antonio 2018.

Baroque music with Josefien Stoppelenburg (soprano), Guy Fishman (cello), and Mario Aschauer (harpsichord)

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 with Mercury and Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 with Mercury and Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 with Mercury and Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 with Mercury and Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 with Mercury and Mario Aschauer, harpsichord

Chamber Music with La Speranza and Mario Aschauer (fortepiano)