Tag: Charles Daniels

Wachet Auf: The King’s Consort At The Wigmore Hall, 9 December 1999

“Wachet Auf” means “Wake Up!”, which was possibly an early call for wokery back in the Baroque period…or possibly not. In any case, I wouldn’t recommend English speakers barking this German language expletive after a couple of G&Ts – it might be misunderstood.

We rated this gig “very good”. Some lesser known works by Bach’s lesser known contemporaries, sandwiched between a bit of Telemann and a bit of Bach:

  • Ouverture “Perpetuum Mobile”, Georg Philipp Telemann
  • Balletti Lamentabili a 4, Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber
  • O Heilige Zeit, Johann Kuhnau
  • Sinfonia No 2 in C Minor, Johann Ludwig Krebs
  • Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns die Strimme Cantata BWV 140, Johann Sebastian Bach

Here is O Heilige Zeit performed by Solomon’s Knot:

Here is the Krebs Sinfonia, performed by Capella jenensis:

Here is a recording of Wachet Auf by the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra under Ton Koopman…

…whom we saw 25 years later performing Telemann sonatas and Tafelmusik at The Wig:

Ton Koopman 80th Birthday Celebration, Soloists of the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Wigmore Hall, 29 November 2024

Academy Of Ancient Music Prom, Royal Albert Hall, 17 August 1998

This amazing concert was the culmination of a most enjoyable day off in South Kensington, which started with baroque music at the V&A at lunchtime…

BBC Proms Lunchtime Concert, Victoria & Albert Museum, 17 August 1998

…and got better from there.

The “big Prom” in the evening was really quite special. Here is a link to the BBC stub.

We heard:

  • George Frideric Handel – Coronation Anthem ‘The king shall rejoice’
  • Johann Sebastian Bach – Violin Concerto in E major
  • George Frideric Handel – Water Music – Suite No. 2 in D Major, No. 1 (Overture:) Andante – Allegro
  • George Frideric Handel  – Water Music – Suite No. 2 in D Major, No. 2 Alla hornpipe
  • George Frideric Handel – Water Music – Suite No. 3 in G major, No. 1 Sarabande (Minuet)
  • George Frideric Handel  – Water Music – Suite No. 3 in G major, No. 2 Rigaudon (Presto)
  • George Frideric Handel  – Water Music – Suite No. 2 in D Major, No. 4 Lentement
  • George Frideric Handel – Water Music – Suite No. 2 in D Major,  No. 5 Air (Bourrée)
  • George Frideric Handel  – Water Music – Suite No. 3 in G major, No. 3 Minuets 1 & 2
  • George Frideric Handel  – Water Music – Suite No. 3 in G major, No. 4 Gigue (Country Dance)
  • George Frideric Handel  – Water Music – Suite No. 2 in D Major, No. 3 (Trumpet) Minuet
  • George Frideric Handel  – Coronation Anthem ‘Zadok the Priest’
  • Antonio Vivaldi – Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630 (Proms premiere)
  • Antonio Vivaldi – Concerto for Violin, Two Oboes, Two Horns, Cello and Bassoon in F major, RV 571 (Proms premiere)
  • George Frideric Handel – Sing unto God, HWV 263 (Proms premiere)

I’m not usually too keen on baroque in the Albert Hall, but this worked.

Matthew Rye gave it a good write up in The Telegraph:

Prom 39 1998 Rye TelegraphProm 39 1998 Rye Telegraph 18 Aug 1998, Tue The Daily Telegraph (London, Greater London, England) Newspapers.com

We agree.