The Dancing Flute: A free music concert for all ages at Reading Public Library

We have a wealth of excellent faculty artists that teach art, music and theatre to those willing and open to take classes or lessons, and we LOVE to share! Thanks to a grant from The Harpley Foundation and a donation from the Helen Nigro Foundation, we are able to share our excellence in music education and performance with you!

To kick off our concert series, which are all free and open to the public, our flute instructor, Judy Braude, prepared a fantastic program of George Frederick Handel's flute sonatas! Concert-goers also learned several popular dances during Handel's time: the Minuet, Bourree and Gavottee.

Concerts are tailored for all ages, as music (classical in this case) is appreciated by both active and passive listeners. Judy opened the concert with Handel's Sonata in E minor (Grave, Allegro, Adagio, Allegro).

Two children passively listening

Sonata literally means "a piece of music that is played" as opposed to a piece that is sung. Sonatas during the Baroque era are defined as "a major composition for a solo instrument as accompanied by a keyboard instrument." Handel composed during the Baroque era 1600-1750 (or, what we now classify as the Baroque era), which had a huge effect on culture. During this era furniture, music, artwork, fashion, writing and architecture were all characterized by the Baroque style: anything that is ornate, lavish, highly textured, intense, irregular and strange (as compared to Medieval & Renaissance style).

Here's an example of a flute sonata in E minor composed by Handel (we think) in the Baroque style

Judy plays the Baroque flute accompanied by Debbie Emery

Under Baroque influences, composers experimented with counterpoint (two or more melodic lines played simultaneously), decorated melodies, basso continuo (played by one or more bass instrument accompanied by a keyboard instrument), and demonstrated emotions - a novel invention for music.

Judy performing Sonata in G Major

George Frederick Handel's music embodies and defines the Baroque style. He was famous, world-famous - a classical rock star - as famous (maybe more-so) as The Beatles. Everything he composed was a hit and made money, lots and lots of money. People loved listening and dancing to his music. So, many composers disguised their pieces as written by Handel. That's right! What does this mean? We don't know how many pieces Handel actually composed - including the ones performed at the concert!

Debbie Emery accompanying Judy as she plays "Handel's" Sonata in F Major

 

After listening and dancing, attendees had a chance to play and hold the flute and piccolo (a very small flute).

Close-up of a piccolo. The Music Place in North Reading loaned both instruments for the concert's Instrument Encounter. I wish I had photos of kids and adults trying to play the flute! It's not easy, but several kids succeeded!

Special thanks to Children's librarian Corinne Fisher for helping promote and organize the concert (and providing a book display about music), The Reading Public Library, performers Judy Braude & Debbie Emery, The Music Place and The Helen Nigro Foundation for making this concert possible!