Red Priest

Evening Music | May 6, 2010
Performances by British group Red Priest are like no other early-music ensemble you've ever heard; formed in 1997 and named for the original "red priest" — Antonio Vivaldi (who had flaming red hair) — they emphasize the sheer joy and entertainment of performance instead of bogging themselves down in "historical accuracies." The result is electrifying, as we'll hear tonight in Henry Purcell's Suite from "The Fairy Queen."

Some other Baroque delicacies on tonight's show include Georg Muffat's Chaconne in G Minor with Musica Antiqua Köln; Susan Rotholz and Kenneth Cooper perform J.S. Bach's Flute Sonata in E Minor. Bringing us up to the 20th century is Leonard Slatkin and the Philharmonia Orchestra in Ralph Vaughan Williams's Symphony No. 5; we'll also hear works from Maurice Ravel and Dick Hyman.

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