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Wit’s Folly is proud to bring this program to the 2024 Bloomington Early Music Festival!
The French and Haitian Revolutions triggered waves of emigrations to the United States in the 1790s. Émigrés used music to win the hearts, minds, and financial backing of their new neighbors, which lead to a French musical flourishing throughout the decade. Through this music, we share their stories and a little known chapter of America’s musical history.
This event will be livestreamed at BLEMF.org
In Spain, the salons where people of all kinds met to exchange art and ideas were known as academias. From curious amateur to celebrated virtuoso, all were welcome. Join us as we welcome you into the music of the Salón Español!
Come along with Wit’s Folly as we explore the wondrous musical world of Carl Maria von Weber, his friend clarinetist Heinrich Bärmann, and the young composer Felix Mendelssohn. The program features not only music written by and for those musicians, but a brand new arrangement of one of Weber’s best loved pieces made just for us by one of our members.
In last season’s Émigré, we told the stories of those who fled the French Revolution looking for peace and power abroad. Now we’ll look at the other side, musicians who stayed, from hope or necessity, and shaped turn of the century France with their music.