Handel and Haydn Society to Present HAYDN + BEETHOVEN At Symphony Hall

As longer days and budding trees promise the arrival of spring, the Handel and Haydn Society's ‘Haydn + Beethoven' concerts at Symphony Hall on March 28 + 30 offer music to awaken and reinvigorate the senses: "Der Frühling" (Spring) from Joseph Haydn's grand oratorio Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) and Beethoven's great Mass in C Major. The H+H Youth Choruses New Voices and Treble Chorus ensembles (singers in grades 2-6) will perform songs of nature, joy, and hope prior to the March 30th concert.

The period orchestra and chorus welcome soprano Emőke Baráth and baritone Thomas Bauer in their H+H debuts and returning soloists mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano and tenor Andrew Haji to perform these grand choral works.

Scored for three soloists and chorus with a large orchestra, Haydn's “Spring” musically illustrates sowing a new season's crop, the hope and arrival of rain to water the fields, and a joyous celebration of animals: lambs, fish, bees, and birds. “Spring” concludes with sweet passages for the soloists before the chorus offers a final prayer of thanks.

“Composed during his later years, Haydn's The Seasons is a mature work of astonishing creativity,” said H+H Artistic Director Jonathan Cohen. “Haydn clearly revels in depicting the sounds of nature, which he scored in “Spring” with depth and exceptional complexity. It's been a long wish of mine to explore this grand choral work with H+H. As Haydn greatly influenced Beethoven's early mass, I find it quite illuminating to program these two beautiful masterworks together.”

Beethoven composed his Mass in C Major for four soloists, chorus, and large orchestra at the young age of 35, already with pronounced hearing loss and with little experience setting liturgical texts. He studied the works of Haydn, and timidly delivered his first mass to Prince Nikolaus Esterházy with a note acknowledging that the commissioner was accustomed to hearing “the inimitable masterpieces of the great Haydn performed.” The Esterházys found it radical; Beethoven's Mass in C Major is today celebrated for its inventive and striking musical contrasts and beautiful interplay between soloists and chorus. 

During intermission and after the performances, concert goers are welcome to join teen artists from Artists for Humanity to create a music-themed collaborative mural titled, Love Out Loud. Following both performances all concert guests are invited to join H+H musicians at a celebratory reception and lend their voices to a community singing of "Love is Love is Love is Love" by Abbie Betinis.

“H+H is proud to be part of a vibrant, diverse community of Boston musicians and music lovers,” said Robert N. Shapiro, Chair of the Handel and Haydn Society Board of Governors. “We are excited to celebrate Pride at our Haydn + Beethoven concerts with inspired music, collaborative art making, and a moving community sing.”

Concert Information