Les Bostonades Announces 11th Anniversary Opening Concert, 1/21

Les Bostonades presents the opening concert of its 11th Anniversary season on Sunday, January 21, 2017 at 3pm, at Gordon Chapel, Old South Church, 645 Boylston Street, Boston MA. This intimate performance features the talents of Les Bostonades' ensemble members Sarah Darling, violin; Michael Unterman, cello; Héloïse Degrugillier, recorder; and Akiko Sato, harpsichord.

Tickets start at $15 and may be purchased online via Brown Paper Tickets, or by calling Akiko Sato at (617) 304-8843.

Known for their superb performances of French baroque repertoire, Les Bostonades' proudly presents Leclair and His Rivals: Music of Leclair, Guignon & Barrière, offering Boston audiences an unparalleled opportunity to hear virtuoso chamber music by violinist-composer Jean-Marie Leclair, cellist-composer Jean-Baptiste Barriere, and violinist-composer Jean-Pierre Guignon, all stars of 18th century Parisian music at court.

"Leclair was very, very successful," Sato comments. "Guignon was also a very talented player, but he had an incredibly difficult personality. He was notorious for forgery, and he was eventually fired from his position at court because he was so unpopular with his colleagues." Additionally, an air of mystery surrounds the circumstances of Leclair's death, possibly pointing to foul play. "Leclair was stabbed to death," remarks Sato. "Nobody knows exactly who did it. Some people think it may have been his rival, Guignon; others thing it may have been Leclair's wife, or even his cousin."

As for the contributions of Bordeaux-born cellist-composer Jean Baptiste Barrière, Sato comments, "We put Barrière on this program because during his time the viola da gamba was actually fading out and the cello was coming into its own as a virtuoso solo instrument. Barrière only lived for a short time, but he wrote so many inventive and technically demanding pieces."

Les Bostonades is an ensemble of flexible size and instrumentation. For Leclair and His Rivals: Music of Leclair, Guignon & Barrière, the ensemble appears in a small but fiery formation, featuring a quartet of virtuoso performers: Sarah Darling, violin; Michael Unterman, cello; Héloïse Degrugillier, recorder; and Akiko Sato, harpsichord.

PROGRAM

Jean-Marie Leclair Sonata for violin and continuo in D Major, Op. 9, No. 3
Jean-Maire Leclair Sonata for flute and continuo in e Minor, Op. 2, No. 1
Jean Baptiste Barrière Sonata for cello and continuo in b Minor , Book 1, No.1
Jean- Pierre Guignon Sonata for violin and continuo in A Major, Op. 1, No. 8
Jean Baptiste Barrière Trio Sonata for recorder, cello and continuo in d Minor, Book 3, No. 2
Jean-Marie Leclair Chaconne - Tambourin from Deuxième récréation de musique d'une execution facile, Op. 8

About Les Bostanades
Now in its 11th season, period-instrument ensemble Les Bostonades has been sharing chamber music with Boston area audiences since 2005. The ensemble features internationally recognized Baroque music specialists who actively collaborate in Boston's vibrant early music scene, bringing spirited and polished performances to listeners throughout the Northeast. The ensemble's performances have been described by Early Music America as "the most engaging chamber music playing...[a] generous, voluptuous sound...well delineated, [and with] a poignancy of emotion." Les Bostonades is an ensemble of flexible size and instrumentation; their regular players, with Ms. Sato at the core, collaborate regularly with internationally renowned Baroque performance specialists. Recent performances have featured Teresa Wakim (soprano), Gonzalo Ruiz (oboe) and Hank Knox (harpsichord), Zachary Wilder (tenor), Christopher Palameta (oboe), and Matthew Wadsworth (theorbo). In June 2017 Les Bostonades will release its second CD with tenor Zachary Wilder, featuring french cantatas by Jean-Philippe Rameau and Louis-Nicolas Clérambault.

www.bostonades.org