About the Music

The "Grand Tour" was a traditional trip through Europe taken by young members of primarily British 18th-century gentry. Just as Rome had been the destination of pilgrims for centuries, it was the usual final stop of these rites of passage, typically those that marked when young persons of sufficient rank and means arrived at their "coming of age" in society. Accompanied by a tutor or older family member, the journey was meant to be as educational as it was enjoyable. While the primary value was found in experiencing firsthand the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, it was also an opportunity to experience great art in contemporaneous cultures. While Paris and Rome were the most visited, stopovers throughout Europe were certainly a part of the travels, and for those interested in music, we imagine that Leipzig — the home of the great Johann Sebastian Bach — and Venice — a focal point of Italian music — were high on the list of hotspots.

Beginning "at home" in London, you'll experience one of Handel's most magical and celebratory works, composed for the birthday celebrations of Queen Ann, whose great patronage of the composer was fundamental to his extraordinary success in London. Then, leaving from Dover to cross the Channel, a stopover in Leipzig brings you to a performance of Bach's great Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C Major, which demands the most virtuoso oboists and bassoonist. Venice is next to experience the music-making of Vivaldi's young students at the Ospedale della Pietà, an orphanage for girls whose extraordinary musical talents were famous throughout Europe. Finally, Rome may very well eclipse the luster of the previous tour stops. There, Handel composed one of the most famous (and difficult!) orchestral/choral works of the Baroque era, the celebrated "Dixit Dominus!"