Handel Festival a Success in spite of Nor'Easter

by Ruth van Baak Griffioen | November 14, 2009

Pic 6: Palace Concert

The Governor's Musick, the resident period-instrument ensemble at Colonial Williamsburg. Herb Watson (English flute), Wayne Moss (viola da gamba), Jane Hanson (soprano), Michael Monaco (1758 Kirckman harpsichord, and period chamber organ), Jenny Edenborn (baroque violin and viola) and Susannah Livingston (baroque violin) presented a concert of music by Handel and his "Friends and Rivals" by candlelight in the Governor's Palace.

Pic 3: Concertos by Candlelight

The string quartet of Susan Via, Jenny Edenborn, Susannah Livingston, and Sarah Glosson accompany Beckie Davy in a Handel harpsichord concerto. Although weather prevented two of the evening's four soloists from crossing the rivers to reach Williamsburg, the concert went on thanks to the heroic efforts of Tom Marshall, who splendidly played one soloist's parts and substituted a Handel two-keyboard suite for the other---all on half a

W&M senior Chris Consolino, W&M faculty Tom Marshall, and Bruton Parish organist Beckie Davy move a harpsichord from Ewell to Wren---during the peak of a 3-day nor'easter!

day's notice and no time to practice.

Baroque trumpeter Barry Bauguess and friends join Lance Pedigo, timpani, and Tom Marshall, organ, for a concert of music for brass, organ, and percussion in the Wren Chapel.

CW museum docent leads a tour of Art and Artifacts of Handel's World here showing a portrait of George II, one of Handel's most significant patrons.

Jane Hanson accompanies herself on the English guitar (a modified cittern) in a Governor's Musick program on Handel-era music known in Williamsburg in colonial times.

International early music star soprano and musicologist Julianne Baird accompanied by Tom Marshall at the 1762 Kirckman harpsichord; Handel, head in hand, looks on.

Tom Marshall tunes for the Wren Masters concert of Handel chamber music at Bruton Parish church