Instead of playing in the friendly confines of Emens Auditorium, the Muncie Symphony Orchestra is going for "baroque" this Sunday and performing in the Edmund Burke Ball Auditorium downtown, located in the Community Civic Center, 520 E. Main St.
Music composed by J.S. Bach, his son C.P.E. Bach, and Handel will make up the program, entitled "Baroque Fantasy." The term "baroque" refers to the musical time period in Europe that lasted from the end of the 16th century to 1750, and includes the work of composers like Monteverdi, the Bachs, Handel, Vivaldi and Purcell.
Stylistically, baroque music raised the role of instrumentalists from mere accompaniment to a position of equal importance as their choral counterparts.
And, in contrast to other styles of music that might involve several instruments playing the same notes at once, baroque arrangements often feature every performer playing a unique part. For all the different parts to be heard clearly, baroque music often calls for fewer musicians than a traditional orchestra.
The stage on which the symphony will perform this Sunday is quite smaller than Emens', which spurred the selection of music that requires fewer performers. The downtown location was chosen partly to help MSO fulfill its duty as a community organization, rather than simply an extension of the university.
"We do love Emens, "said Cathy Levin, MSO executive director. "But, every once in a while we need to get off campus."
The concert will be opened with C.P.E. Bach's "Symphony in D Major," followed by J.S. Bach's Brandenburg "Concerto No. 3." The Brandenburg concertos, composed for the Margrave of Brandenburg, exemplified a change in style for Bach, but were rejected by the Margrave. Ironically, the Brandenburg concertos went on to be among the most popular of Bach's immense body of work.
Finishing the concert will be Handel's "Cantata: Apollo and Dafne," which is based on Greek mythology. Joining MSO will be soprano Jennifer Cooper and baritone Craig Priebe, who Levin describes as two of the best vocalists she has ever heard. The Handel piece, according to Levin, "knocks your socks off."
MITS will provide a free shuttle service on Sunday from the campus to the symphony event. The shuttle locations and times are as follows: the shuttle bus turnaround at 1:30 and 2 p.m., Riverside and McKinley avenues at 1:35 and 2:05; Riverside and New York avenues at 1:36 and 2:06; New York and Neely avenues at 1:37 and 2:07.
The show starts at 2:30 p.m.
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