Göteborgs Konserthus Baroque Glow and Elegance

The elegance of Baroque truly glows, especially with BAGS on stage. Here, they present a programme that reflects the diversity and evolution of the era, and that moves freely between Italian shimmer and German precision.  

With works by Gluck, Durante, Vivaldi and two generations of Bach, they capture the Baroque style ideals – from dramatic opera overtures to masterful concertos and the symphonic form. The artistic director is Terje Skomedal, violinist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.  

Gluck’s overture to Orpheus and Eurydice marks the transition between the late-Baroque and Classical periods, with a focus on dramatic clarity. Francesco Durante represents the passionate Neapolitan tradition, while Vivaldi’s Double Concerto in G Major illuminates the vitality of the Italian soloist concerto.  

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach pulled out the stops even more than his father, and was a central figure of the “sensitive style”, which emphasised the emotional experience of music.  This can be heard in the Trio Sonatas and Symphony in A Major.  

The concert concludes with his father Johann Sebastian’s slightly more strict Brandenburg Concerto No. 6, one of the most beloved Baroque works, with unusual instrumentation that gives the piece its particular character. And of course it is swinging.