Local concerto concert will be a first for harpsichordist
It's always a treat when harpsichordist Jory Vinikour returns to his native Chicago area for a recital or concert, and he's here this weekend as guest soloist with the Northwest Symphony Orchestra at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Maine West High School in Des Plaines.
Vinikour, whose international career as recitalist, accompanist and concert soloist has been based out of Paris for many years, will play two of the most well-known harpsichord concertos, with Northwest Symphony music director Paul Vermel conducting.
"When I played the piano when I was much younger, I appeared with this same orchestra on three different occasions," the Prospect High School graduate said. "Paul Vermel is a wonderful conductor, and back when I was a pianist I played under the orchestra's previous conductor, (the late) Perry Crafton, a marvelous musician and longtime violinist with the Chicago Symphony."
In Sunday's concert, Vinikour will be the soloist for J.S. Bach's Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052; and Franz Josef Haydn's Harpsichord Concerto in D Major, HOB. XVIII.
"The Bach D Minor Concerto is the great concerto among his seven concerti for harpsichord and strings," Vinikour said. "It is the only one that's genuinely written as a keyboard concerto, with a much more complicated structure. The other six Bach concerti are very simple transcriptions of violin or oboe concerti. The D Minor also likely has some kind of source as a violin concerto, but Bach definitely adds a keyboardlike texture to the writing."
Vinikour noted that the well-known Haydn D Major concerto is frequently performed on a modern piano despite its 18th-century genesis.
"It's a very charming harpsichord concerto," Vinikour said.
Vermel also will conduct two other pieces on the program: Giovanni Gabrieli's "Three Canzone for Brass and Woodwind Choirs," and he'll conclude the concert with Haydn's Symphony No. 99 in E-flat Minor, completed in 1793 as one of the composer's 12 famous "London" symphonies.
In a touch of irony, although he's played solo recitals extensively throughout the United States, this is Vinikour's first concerto concert on this side of the pond.
"Goodness, I've played concertos with major symphony orchestras throughout Europe," he said. "I'm not speaking about the Baroque groups, but with major organizations. I've played with the Netherlands Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Suisse Romande Orchestra, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, French Radio Orchestra and others. But yes, this is my first concerto engagement with an orchestra in the United States."
Tickets: The Northwest Symphony Orchestra box office is located at Maine West High School, Oakton Avenue at Wolf Road, Des Plaines. Cash or checks (no credit cards) are accepted, with in-person purchases only. The theater and box office are on the second floor, accessible by elevator for patrons needing assistance Visit www.northwestsymphony.org for a map and directions to Maine West High School.
Tickets will also be on sale at the door on Sunday, beginning two hours before the 3:30 p.m. concert.
Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. Children under 14 will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Parking is available in the school lots by entering from either Oakton Avenue or Wolf Road.