By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent
A Jewish flavor will spice up the Seattle Baroque’s upcoming concert, which will be centered on Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi.
In addition to music by Monteverdi, one of Italy’s most famous composers during the early 17th century, the concert will also feature music by lesser-known composers from the time. Music by Salomone Rossi, one of Monteverdi’s contemporaries and a Jewish composer, will be highlighted in the first half of the concert. Soprano Melissa Fogarty will sing several of Rossi’s songs with Lucas Harris on archlute.
“Some [concerts] are more intimate and some are more extravagant. This is both,” says Byron Schenkman, Seattle Baroque’s co-founder and artistic director. “This is sort of an unusual combination of voices and instruments.”
Although Rossi was an important composer, being the first to introduce polyphonic music to synagogues, he is virtually unknown to the general public today. Music books often ignore him, says Schenkman.
“I see a lot of parallel in my experience between silence about Jews and silence about gays,” says Schenkman, who is both Jewish and gay. “It’s the reason I program the way I do.”
Schenkman says he used to like putting together programs that featured all women composers or all Jewish composers, for example, but over the years he decided to put them into more mainstream contexts.
“It takes them out of the ghetto,” he says.
The mix gives audiences a more realistic picture of what music was played at the time, says Schenkman. “I like to keep it fresh.”
This will be the first time in a few years that Seattle Baroque has performed music by Rossi.
“I like the juxtaposition of personal expression of emotion with virtuosity,” says Schenkman on Rossi’s music.
Also on the program are works by Francesco Cavalli, Dario Castello and others.
“These were the pioneers of that new style [Baroque],” says Schenkman.
This program of early-17th-century works will feature music from the beginning of the Baroque period. Special guest violinist David Greenberg will perform again with Ingrid Matthews, violinist and co-founder of Seattle Baroque. Greenberg lives in Canada and performs with Seattle Baroque at least once every season. He was a soloist at the group’s very first concert.
“It’s always fun when he comes and plays with us,” says Schenkman, who will play the harpsichord. “[Greenberg and Matthews] keep each other on their toes.”
“There’s a lot of fun in the music and really a lot of every type of emotion,” Schenkman adds. “I think it reaches the heart directly.”
Seattle Baroque’s Monteverdi concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. on March 20 at Kirkland Performance Center, 8 p.m. on March 21 at University Christian Church in Seattle and at 8 p.m. on March 22 at the Nordstrom Recital Hall at the Benaroya Hall in Seattle. Tickets are $10-$27. Call 206-322-3118 or visit www.seattlebaroque.org.