Christmas Concert by Cuarteto Yucatán

The Cuarteto Yucatán’s gala Christmas concert is Friday, Dec. 15 at 7:00 in the historic Monjas Church (corner of 63 and 64) in Mérida Centro. There will be a reception after the concert on the church patio with wine and Christmas cookies (a non-alcoholic option will be available.)

Tickets (MX$400) and can be purchased online at TusBoletos.mx, as well as at the TusBoletos sales points, located at the Auditorio La Isla Mérida, Teatro Daniel Ayala, Opticas Espadas Gran Plaza, Redicom Gran Plaza, Electrónica Gonzalez Altabrisa and Las Americas Calle 58. Tickets will also be available at the Mérida English Library from Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at the door if available.

Here are program notes for Cuarteto Yucatán’s Christmas Concert at Iglesia Las Monjas:

The Venetian composer Archangelo Corelli (1653-1713) is one of the mainstays of the Baroque Era. His Christmas Concerto Opus 6, No. 8 was commissioned by Cardinal Ottoboni in 1714 and subsequently published as part of his famous Twelve Concerti Grossi. It bears the inscription “Fatto per la Notte di Natale” and was premiered that year on Christmas Eve. It is one of Corelli’s most enduring works and ends with his iconic Pastorale in G Major.

1. Vivace-Allegro

2. Adagio-Allegro

3. Vivace

4. Allegro-Pastorale

Tomasso Albinoni (1671-1751) was best known in his day as an opera composer, as he was very prolific and greatly influenced J.S. Bach. Oddly enough, he is almost exclusively remembered today for his ever-popular “Adagio in G minor,” which was probably played at every wedding you ever attended.

Selections from “Winter” from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741). Composed by the “red monk” around 1720 in Mantua, this set of four violin concertos are among the first examples of Program Music, music with a narrative element. Vivaldi wrote sonnets about each of the seasons and what the music is meant to depict for the listener. This is his best-known work.

The Great Chaconne in G minor by Henry Purcell (1659-1695). An early Baroque landmark in the history of Western music, Purcell’s Great Chaconne for Strings was written when the rules and traditions of harmonic progression, form, and counterpoint were still being codified. It still packs an emotional punch today.

The British composer Alec Rowley (1892-1958) assembled a number of familiar and less-familiar old Christmas Carols into this charming suite. See how many you can recognize.

1. The Coventry Carol
2. On Christmas Night
3. The Moon Shines Bright
4. The Holly and the Ivy
5. Good Christian Men, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite has become synonymous with Christmastime, much as his 1812 Overture has come to signify America’s Fourth of July. Tchaikovsky would be astonished at both. Here, we will play some of our favorite music from the complete ballet, hopefully making sugarplums dance in our collective heads.

1. Overture
2. Sugarplum Fairy
3. Arabian Dance
4. Trepak
5. Walz of the Flowers

Leroy Anderson (1908-1975) was the main arranger and often composed for Arthur Fiedler’s Boston Pops Orchestra. He wrote this piece “A Christmas Festival” for them, which we will present in his string quartet version, followed by his ever popular mini-masterpieces of delight, “Plink, Plank, Plunk” and the ever popular “Sleighride.”