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REPRESENTING A
HALF CENTUY OF MUSIC
Mixing and celebrating the next 500 concerts at
music before 1800
Next Concert Sunday, January 12
Sunday, January 12 - 4:00 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
NYC's Oldest Early Music Presenter
Upcoming Concerts
Sequentia
GREGORIUS – THE HOLY SINNER
- Sunday, January 12
- 4:00 PM
- CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
The twelfth century German knight and poet, Hartmann von Aue, relates an astonishing tale of victory over despair. Sequentia performs this premiere reconstruction about a man tossed about by fortune, and unaware of his incestuous origins, w..
Holger Falk with Nuovo Aspetto
IL GONDOLIERE VENEZIANO
- Sunday, February 9
- 4:00 PM
- CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
‘When I went to Venice, I discovered that my dream had become – incredibly, but quite simply – my address.‘ Marcel Proust In addition to the palazzi built on piles, the lagoon city is also famous for its living landmarks: the s..
Simon Shaheen and Friends
PALESTINE BEFORE 1800
- Sunday, March 2
- 4:00 PM
- CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
Born in the village of Tarshiha in the Galilee, Palestinian oud virtuoso Simon Shaheen is one of the most significant Arab musicians touring today. His soaring technique has dazzled audiences for decades in traditional music as well as west..
THOMAS DUNFORD
50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA
- Tuesday, March 25
- 6:00 PM
- KOSCIUSZKO FOUNDATION 15 EAST 65TH ST
Our gala celebration features a recital from the world’s most in-demand lutenist, Thomas Dunford. Called the “Eric Clapton of the lute” by BBC Music Magazine, Dunford will present music for solo archlute to a special audience of just ..
The Sebastians & Chatham Baroque
MARKUS PASSION
- Sunday, April 13
- 4:00 PM
- CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
J. S. Bach wrote Passion settings for the gospels of Mark as well as for Matthew and John – two of the greatest artistic works of all time. Shortly after Bach’s death in 1750, his Markus Passion manuscript was hand-delivered by his son ..
Juilliard415
CORELLI IN CHIQUITOS: MUSIC FROM THE MISSIONS
- Sunday, May 18
- 4:00 PM
- CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
In this vibrant program from the missions of Bolivia and Peru, Juilliard415 explores the intersections of global and local Baroque. In the mid-eighteenth century, Jesuit missionaries brought Corelli, Vivaldi, Locatelli, and others to their ..
A Note From Our Artistic Director
Read More
We present our most ambitious series of all for this golden anniversary. While we continue to expand the canon of early music from Peru to Palestine, this year we celebrate music’s stories with wildly creative programs that showcase music’s role on the stage of humankind. Welcome to our new season: Music Telling Story.
Name a great story from history, and music was there. Musicians have seen it all and have the best tales to share, but aren’t always the best storytellers. Each of these programs leans on other disciplines to tell our stories more dynamically to new audiences. Ten bold concerts highlight music’s role as keeper of secrets, and explore history’s eerie penchant for rhyming with the current moment.
Nuovo Aspetto makes their MB1800 debut with Il Gondoliere Veneziano featuring recorded soundscapes with baritone Holger Falk. Vox Luminis returns with A German Baroque Requiem, a newly designed companion to Brahms’ seminal work. Benjamin Bagby’s great medievalists Sequentia are back with a rare world premiere. And in their annual concert, Juilliard415 offers a captivating look at neglected Baroque gems from the Catholic missions of Bolivia and Peru.
New venues and partners will spread our work across the city. The Cathedral Church of St John the Divine hosts The Gesualdo Six and Abendmusik in the immersive concert, Secret Byrd. The Poetry Society of New York co-presents Letters to a Young Poet at The New York Society for Ethical Culture, featuring the Diderot String Quartet – a rare chance to hear Ravel and Debussy performed on the gut strings for which they were written.
On Palm Sunday, we present Bach’s lost Markus Passion, a bold reconstruction of this missing masterpiece. A supergroup of The Sebastians and Chatham Baroque join with legendary actor Joseph Marcell to present this staged ‘pocket passion’ in both Pittsburgh and NYC.
Two particularly special events buttress our anniversary year. In Vino Musica launches us at The Riverside Church with wine and music pairings by La Chapelle Harmonique, making their American debut from Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Finally, our grand 50th anniversary gala is headlined by a solo recital from Thomas Dunford, the most exciting lutenist performing today. Space is limited for both!
Last season, on the day that Constantinople and Accademia del Piacere performed From Seville to Isfahan (pictured above), Iran bombed Israel. All of us felt the world outside crashing in on this loving examination of Persian music. In introducing the program, I reiterated our commitment to our values. People are not their governments. Musicians are musicians, and it is culture which reminds us of the shared space above our differences.
Following last year’s sold-out Mali Before 1800 concert, our second collaboration with The World Music Institute presents the virtuosic duo Sabîl, born in Palestine and Israel. This performance, featuring the chameleonic cellist Vincent Ségal, will be paired with our September, 2025 concert, Days of Awe: A Jewish Musical Journey. It is vital that we continue to explore music that helps us process the world outside. History is being rewritten all around us, and the stories we tell about it matter.
We continue our popular pay-what-you-can model, and will be streaming three concerts for our vital supporters around the world. I hope to see each of you along this parade of wonders, lending your critical voice in support for another 50 years of life-sustaining music.
Bill Barclay
Artistic Director
SEATING
CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
529 West 121st Street, New York, NY
ADLER HALL
2 W 64th St, New York, NY
Letters to a Young Poet
December 15
- Tickets are not refundable and cannot be exchanged.
- Tickets may be converted to a tax-deductible contribution if notice is given at least 48 hours before the concert.
- We offer pay-what-you-can for all live concerts pending availability.
- Tickets may be purchased at the door by cash, check, or credit card.
- The doors and box office open 30 minutes before each concert begins.
- In the event of a cancelation, we will offer you 1) a full refund; 2) a conversion to a virtual ticket with a partial refund or contribution; 3) or a conversion to a contribution of the full amount.
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FAQ
Find Answers to Common Questions: Everything You Need to Know About Our Events, Pricing, and More!
Music Before 1800 is an organization dedicated to presenting historically informed performances of early music composed before the year 1800. Our series features renowned artists and ensembles specializing in Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music.
Our concerts are typically held at Corpus Christi Church providing an acoustically rich environment ideal for early music.
Yes! Many of our performances are available for online streaming. Check our https://mb1800.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/ for upcoming live streams and recorded concerts.
Our programming includes:
- Gregorian chant and Medieval polyphony.
- Renaissance choral works and madrigals.
- Baroque masterpieces such as cantatas, sonatas, and concertos.
Yes, our performers use period instruments, such as lutes, viols, harpsichords, and natural horns, to replicate the sounds of the era as authentically as possible.
Nuovo Aspetto makes their MB1800 debut with Il Gondoliere Veneziano featuring recorded soundscapes with baritone Holger Falk. Vox Luminis returns with A German Baroque Requiem, a newly designed companion to Brahms’ seminal work. Benjamin Bagby’s great medievalists Sequentia are back with a rare world premiere. And in their annual concert, Juilliard415 offers a captivating look at neglected Baroque gems from the Catholic missions of Bolivia and Peru.
Tickets can be purchased directly from our website at mb1800.org Subscriptions and single-concert tickets are available.
Yes, we offer discounted rates for seniors. Visit our ticketing page for details.
You can support us by:
- Attending our concerts.
- Making a tax-deductible donation.
- Becoming a sponsor or joining our membership program.
Visit our https://mb1800.org/support/ for more details.
We welcome volunteers to assist with event organization, outreach, and administrative tasks. Please contact us at concertmanager@mb1800.oprg if you’re interested.
Some of our past performances are available as recordings. Follow us on social media for updates.
Join our mailing list to receive newsletters and updates about upcoming concerts, special events, and artist announcements.
Become A Volunteer at Music Before 1800
Join the Music Before 1800 team as a front-of-house volunteer and be part of NYC’s longest-running early music concert series! Enjoy a complimentary seat at our performances while supporting world-class programming. It’s a rewarding way to experience the music and connect with a dedicated community.
