On today’s Noontime Concert on The Classical Network, it’s the Second Coming of Ryland Angel.
You may recall, violent thunderstorms swept through the region on a Monday night two weeks ago, leaving many of us without power. While the station was able to continue to broadcast, thanks to a back-up generator, certain aspects of our daily operations, which we all generally take for granted – such niceties as light, air conditioning, phones, and internet – were out.
Unfortunately, this meant that relevant sound files were temporarily inaccessible, so the Tuesday concert had to be postponed. But we’ll give it another shot today. Of course, there are more storms in the forecast, but at this point they don’t appear to be all that threatening. Famous last words?
As for content, just to refresh your memory:
Countertenor Ryland Angel will be joined by organist Richard Erickson in works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Anastasius Freylinghausen, and Johann Rudolf Ahle, collected in the “Schemellis Gesangbuch.” Georg Christian Schemelli published his songbook in Leipzig in 1736. His son, Christian Friedrich, had been a student at the Thomasschule from 1733 to 1735 and later continued his studies at Leipzig University. Bach, of course, served as Thomaskantor from 1723 until his death in 1750.
The concert was recorded in October at the chapel of Saint Bartholomew’s Church, 325 Park Avenue, in New York City. Free Midtown Concerts are held at St. Bart’s every Thursday at 1:15 p.m. during the regular season, brought to you in part to Gotham Early Music Scene, or GEMS. GEMS is a nonprofit organization that promotes and supports artists in New York City devoted to Early Music. You can learn more about Gotham Early Music Scene at gemsny.org.
Following today’s concert broadcast, stick around for one of Anton Bruckner’s spiritually-infused symphonies, with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Bruckner pioneer Carl Schuricht.
Hopefully I am not again tempting Fate by appropriating this image of Blake’s “Angel of the Revelation.” Ryland Angel was born on Saint Cecilia’s Day, so here’s hoping the patron saint of music is in our corner.
The music will be heavenly, the performances revelatory, between 12 and 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
