Whidbey Island Music Festival: With Friends Like These – Pisendel & Veracini

Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin
Ingrid Matthews, baroque violin
Corentin Pokorny, baroque violin
Romeric Pokorny, baroque viola
Meg Brennand, baroque cello
Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord

The most famous orchestra of the 18th century was in Dresden, Germany. There was a great rivalry between Dresden's two great virtuoso violinist/composers: Pisendel and Veracini. Always trying to one-up, outdo and insult the other, Pisendel and Veracini left behind a fascinating and rewarding body of work. Vivaldi was one of the major composers who dedicated a concerto to Pisendel, famous throughout Europe for his elegant and virtuousic playing. Known as the "Paganini of the 18th century," Locatelli was another composer-violinist who passed through Dresden. His haunting "Il Pianto d'Arianna" refers to the story of Arianna (Ariadne) and Theseus, who abandoned his sleeping bride on the island of Naxos. Dionysus (Bacchus) rescues Arianna and marries her. This myth was a wellspring of many great composers from Monteverdi (Lamento d'Arianna) to Richard Strauss's great opera (Ariadne auf Naxos).

About the Festival
The Whidbey Island Music Festival presents vibrant performances on period instruments of repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Beethoven on beautiful Whidbey Island, WA. The 2016 Whidbey Island Music Festival begins Friday, July 29th and runs through August 7th with two weekends of concerts.

About Whidbey Island Music Festival

http://whidbeyislandmusicfestival.org/