Baroque to the Future

Cello soloist Peter Eom takes on Solima’s challenging L.B. Files, one of four pieces on this program that transform Baroque tunes into something more contemporary. The L.B. of Solima’s title is Luigi Boccherini, an 18th-century Italian composer cellist. Modern cello techniques take Boccherini’s music into new spheres.

Soviet defector Auerbach quotes Pergolesi’s religious work while translating it for the 21st century, with a goal of creating “an outlook from our own time on the same subject.” Perkison’s Sinfonietta, sadly neglected despite being among the greatest pieces ever written for string orchestra, pairs the BACH motif with the folk song Mockingbird. Grieg’s suite honors a 17th century Norse poet while invoking Baroque and classical forms.

This project is partially funded by the City of Tempe – Community Arts Grant, the Molly Blank Fund, and the Arizona Commission on the Arts.