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Curios from Castrucci to Couperin.

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Bethlehem Baroque web carouselElizabeth Field ~ violin
Loretta O'Sullivan ~ cello
Charlotte Mattax Moersch ~ harpsichord

Bethlehem Baroque will present three lesser-known works from the mid-eighteenth century. Violinist Elizabeth Field will perform a sonata by Pietro Castrucci featuring virtuosity reminiscent of his teacher Arcangelo Corelli. Harpsichordist Charlotte Mattax Moersch offers Armand-Louis Couperin’s brilliant and expressive Pièces de Clavecin. Cellist Loretta O’Sullivan brings us a ravishing sonata by Joseph Boismortier which melds French elegance with Italian flair.

Bethlehem Baroque is a newly-formed period instrument ensemble comprised of core players from The Bethlehem Bach Orchestra. Elizabeth, Charlotte and Loretta have been playing Bach together for over 20 years, and this performance at Midtown Concerts is their debut performance under their new moniker.

Elizabeth Field, violinist, soloist and chamber musician on period and modern violin, is concertmaster for The Bethlehem Bach Orchestra and has served as guest concertmaster for leading ensembles including the Washington Bach Consort, Opera Philadelphia, National Philharmonic, and Opera Lafayette. Co-director of The Vivaldi Project, heralded as “period instrument playing at its best” (Fanfare Magazine), Elizabeth holds a Doctorate from Cornell University.

Charlotte Mattax Moersch, harpsichordist, has appeared at major international venues and festivals, including the Associazione Musicale Romana and Tage alter Musik Regensburg. She has recorded the complete harpsichord pieces of Noblet, Février, D’Anglebert, and Armand-Louis Couperin, and over 100 videos online for The Vernissage Project. Professor of Music at University of Illinois, she has degrees from Yale, Juilliard, and Stanford.

Loretta O'Sullivan, solo cellist, continuo cellist and chamber musician, has played with many of this country's leading ensembles. On period instruments, these include the Four Nations Ensemble, Opera Lafayette, Aston Magna, Capriccio Baroque, the American Classical Orchestra, and Helicon. Her work specializing in Baroque music on modern instruments includes the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and the Orchestra of St. Luke's.

Artist Website

1:15–2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.

In person at St. Malachy's Church, 239 West 49th Street, Manhattan

Live stream details: You can watch it on your computer in any of two places by clicking on the name you wish: our website or YouTube.

Midtown Concerts sponsors lunchtime performances of music of the 18th century and earlier. Ensembles are chosen by a panel of early music specialists from the metropolitan area.

Time: Thursdays, 1:15–2:00 pm
All concerts are free; no tickets or reservations are necessary.

Concerts are in person at St. Malachy's Church, 239 West 49th Street, Manhattan, AND live streamed.