Anna Amalia, Princess of Prussia (1723-1787), was an extraordinary woman who made an enormous contribution to cultural life in 18th Century Berlin. Anna Amalia’s careful curation of 625 scores in an astonishing music library paint the musical portrait of a sophisticated and stylish musician, fascinated with the workings of musical line and texture. This programme highlights music from her personal library and includes music by Anna Amalia, JS Bach, Handel, and CPE Bach.

In 1715, a set of 12 trio sonatas were published under the mysterious penname of ‘Mrs Philarmonica’. Although the identity of Mrs Philarmonica remains unknown, the sonatas follow a Corellian model and are full of heartbreaking suspensions, elegant minuets, exuberant gigues and gavottes. This programme explores the possible origins of Mrs Philarmonica’s sonatas and presents them alongside music by Geminiani, Corelli, and Handel – favourites of the London audiences at the time Mrs. Philarmonica’s music was printed.

Seeking inspiration from new compositional styles or recasting musical fragments into new settings, many performers and composers have reimagined their music. Featuring the teenage inspiration of G.P. Telemann, the consummate skill of Handel to ‘polish’ previously-composed pebbles, Leclair’s art of delegation, and Bach’s musical jigsaws, this programme celebrates the new beginnings that musicians and their students created for their best melodies.

Cosy evenings playing cards around a fire are an ancient pastime and bring to mind family celebrations and gatherings. This programme explores playing card designs from the 14th century to the present day and, connecting each card to a different piece of music, tells seasonal stories about people, places, and animals in winter. The programme features music by Vivaldi, Handel, Corelli, Rossi, Purcell, and Ucellini.

In the spring of 1729, the trumpeter John Grano – dubbed ‘Handel’s trumpeter’ – was serving the end of a sentence incarcerated in the infamous Marshalsea debtor’s prison. The prisoner kept a diary detailing his musical exploits as he composed, taught, organised concerts, and tried to maintain a performance schedule from the ‘home’ of his cell. This concert explores some of his fascinating diary entries and includes music that he was performing, writing, and listening to, by Geminiani, Grano, Corbett and Handel!