Concerto alla Barocco
David Hahn
About this work:
Nostalgia, as in looking back into the past in search of serenity or simplicity that may or may not have actually existed, seems an integral part of the human condition. We enjoy returning to things we know as to an old friend or a dear place. Writing music in the Baroque style is a nostalgic activity; looking through that misty glass of history to a time when music held a different place than it does today. More rare and thus more precious, heard only in live performance, liberated from the Renaissance subservience to the words, the music of the Baroque comes into its own. Dramatic or serene, joyful or mischievous, not yet ensconced in the firm "Classical" structures, it is always enchanted with itself and never doubting itself.
The 3-movement Concerto alla Barocco for Guitar Quartet and Strings was commissioned by the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet. The first movement, marked Adagio-Allegro, begins with a dramatic French Overture-like pedal point followed by a sprightly unison theme with virtuosic passages in all 4 guitars. Look for the allusions here to well-known baroque masterpieces. The lyrical middle movement is a chaconne based on the Chaconne in F major for solo lute by Johann Losy (1651-1721). It incorporates John Lennon's infectious and significant melody Give Peace a Chance. The Concerto ends with a boisterous gigue, a quick dance, with spirited interaction between the soloists.
Concerto in 3 Movements for 4 Guitars and Strings commissioned by the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet.
Premiere: Minneapolis Guitar Quartet with the Owensboro Symphony conducted by Nicholas Palmer, November 2003. The piece was performed later in a series of concerts by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Harry Bicket in March 2004.
Year composed: 2003
Duration: 00:23:00
Ensemble type: Orchestra:String Orchestra with Soloist(s)
Instrumentation: 1 Strings (General), ,4 Guitar (Classical/Acoustic) soloist(s)