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Music Notes: The First Oratorio

The Freudig Singers will perform the first-ever oratorio this week.By Bill Raffel, WBFO

Buffalo, NY – The Freudig Singers present the first ever oratorio in the world. Good morning. I'm Bill Raffel with Music Notes.

You've no doubt heard of Handel's "Messiah," maybe "Judas Maccabeus" or "Esther." While Handel brought the musical form to England, it actually originated in Italy with a composer Giacomo Carissimi and his first oratorio "Jepthe," based upon a story from the book of Judges about the Israelites victory over the Ammonites. The Freudig Singers Director Roland Martin says this piece is rarity nowadays.

See Roland Martin and the Freudig Singers perform "Jepthe" and other works Friday (3/14) at 7:30 p.m. in the Castellani Art Museum on the Niagara University Campus and on Sunday (3/14) at 4 p.m. in Baker Memorial United Methodist Church at the corner of Main and Center Streets in East Aurora.

Also this week, a number of high school and college bands from Fredonia and the Southtowns will perform Wednesday (3/12) at 7:30 in the Hamburg High School Auditorium.

Violinist Jennifer Coleman and Pianist Debi Overton give a free half-hour recital Friday (3/14) at 12:30 p.m. in Saint Paul's Cathedral downtown.

22 year old Russian Pianist Vassily Primakov gives a free recital Sunday (3/16) at 3:00 p.m. in Kleinhans, sponsored by the Buffalo Chamber Music Society.

BPO Clarinetist John Fullam and Violist Valerie Heywood join Pianist Claudio Hoca for works of Mozart, Brahms, and Rebecca Clarke. That's Sunday (3/16) at 3:30 in the Unity Church at corner of Delaware and Auburn.

And the Philharmonic pays tribute to the big band era under the baton of Peter Nero, Friday (3/14) at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday (3/15) at 8:00 p.m. in Kleinhans.

That's Music Notes. I'm Bill Raffel. Have a great week!