Past Events

In centuries past, the four weeks before Christmas were observed as Advent on the church calendar, a season of quiet reflection and anticipation before the celebration of Christmas. In our modern commercial timesatwith Christmas music and decorations appearing even before Thanksgivingatthe special themes and music of Advent can be easily overlooked. The San Antonio Recorder Quartet will observe the first Sunday in Advent with a program featuring traditional music of Advent from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque eras, along with a few contemporary arrangements. The program will be a quiet meditation on the themes of Advent with music from this special season of the church year played on consorts of Renaissance and Baroque recorders.

Music from St. Mark’s presents outstanding young American harpist Parker Ramsay in a live performance of J.S. Bach’s masterful Goldberg Variations. The work will be performed in its entirety in the acoustically vibrant sanctuary of St. Mark’s historic downtown church.

Long known as an iconic work for piano or harpsichord, Ramsay chose the Variations as the repertoire for his debut recording, released in 2020, to … “show the world that the harp is an instrument of beauty, sincerity and transcendence, standing alongside the keyboards and string instruments as a worthy vehicle for the music of J S Bach”. It also captures the best elements of the two instruments traditionally used to perform the Variations: “the raw pluckiness of the harpsichord, but with the expressive qualities of the piano,” says Ramsay. Commenting on the recording, the Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic Tim Page notes, “[Parker Ramsay’s new recording] is both brainy and beautiful, its easy-on-the-ear timbres stimulating, paradoxically, an even more intense analysis than usual.”

Terra Antiqua, Terra Nova
Join us in the beautiful historic setting of San Antonio’s Mission Concepcien for this exploration of music from Western Europe (Terra Antiqua) and The Americas (Terra Nova).

This concert is presented in part by generous grants from The City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts and Culture and Early Music America.

Sonido Barroco’s annual Dawn of the Baroque concert, featuring music on the cusp of the Renaissance and Baroque periods performed on period instruments.
This year’s concert includes music by Anthony Holborne, Dario Castello, Matthew Locke and others.

Treasures of the Baroque with Evan Kory–JS Bach, Rameau,
Vivaldi, Telemann. With
Eric Gratz, Violin; Mark Teplitsky, Flute; Qizhen Liu, Cello; Evan Kory, Harpsichord

The recorder was the dominant indoor woodwind instrument during the Renaissance, and sets of recorders were used to support a wide variety of music. This program explores the role of the recorder in 15th and 16th century music. Renaissance music was largely a vocal art, and a rich repertoire of secular and sacred music has survived. Recordersatmade in sizes to match the ranges of the human voiceatwere used to support or replace voices in songs performed as court entertainment, and recorders were used in churches to support sacred music when an organ was not available. Recorders also provided music for dancing. The San Antonio Recorder Quartet will perform a variety of secular songs, sacred psalms, hymns, anthems, and dance music.

Musique pour le Coucher du Roi: Chamber music from the court of Louis XIV.

In addition to ruling a nation, Louis XIV presided over one of Europe’s most lavish royal musical establishments, and his taste in music strongly influenced musical tastes across France. Only the best French musicians were members of the musique de chambre, the king’s private retinue of musicians who performed for him in his personal chambers. Louis’s highly choreographed day was capped off by the coucher, a set of ceremonies that surrounded the king’s evening meal and bedtime. The coucher always involved music, and over the years it brought together such illustrious musicians as Lully, Marais, Couperin, and Rebel, who performed their compositions for the music-obsessed Sun King. We’ll recapture what a musical evening in Louis’s innermost chambers may have been like, presenting music by the king’s favorites in sets interspersed with brief readings from diaries written at Versailles during Louis’s life. Join us at it’ll be très magnifique!

Early Music Month Celebration

Handel’s MESSIAH
Experience this intimate performance of Handel’s Messiah (Christmas portion) using period instruments and Baroque tuning as were custom in Handel’s time. The San Antonio Choral Society and Sonido Barroco combine to present this stunning performance. Due to Covid precautions, this year’s Messiah will not be a community sing-along. A portion of ticket sales from this event will go to support St. PJ’s Children’s Home. $25 General Admission; no discount tickets since this event is a fundraiser.
** We are excited to resume holding these events in person while ensuring the safety of our attendees and performers. Masks will be required for all in attendance and social distancing provided. These protocols and our performance season will be re-evaluated on a continual basis and subject to change.

J.S. Bach Cantata BWV 29
“Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir”
With the Choir of Zion Lutheran Church
Soloists TBA
Additional service at 11:30A.M.

Presented by Alamo Baroque, Olmos Ensemble is joined by St. Mark’s Samuel Gaskin at the keyboard to present a program of chamber music including Sonatas by Handel, Vivaldi, and Telemann, and the intriguing Rustiques by Joseph Canteloube.
Free parking is in the church lot on Jefferson Street between Martin and Pecan.

Sacred Music of the German Baroque