2024 Wheatland Concert Series at Shiloh Manor Farm starts on March 16

Shiloh Manor Farm’s Wheatland Concert Series has a fantastic ensemble of musicians performing on March 16,   led by Professor Mark Janello, of the Johns Hopkins University Peabody Conservatory on harpsichord. He will be joined by Ms. Gracie Carney, performing a period violin from the 1600s, Mr. Jacob Jahiel on viola da gamba, and Ms. Sarah Shoja on Baroque recorder. The series features the works of Georg Philipp Telemann and Marin Marais.

Georg Philipp Telemann was a contemporary of Johann Sebastien Bach and actually the godfather of his son Johann Christian Bach. Born in 1681, the son of a Lutheran pastor, George Philipp intended to study law. But in his teenage years Georg felt his gifts were elsewhere. By the time he was 20 years old, Telemann taught himself to play 12 different instruments and compose his own music, not only in the style of German Baroque, but also in French and Italian styles. 

Telemann is listed in the Guiness Book of Records as the world’s most prolific composer, responsible for some 3,000 works: three times as many as Bach and five times as many as Mozart. Somehow, he found time for his 11 children, composed an autobiography, and became recognized as a leading botanist and collector of plants.

Unlike Telemann, Marin Marais was the son of a poor shoemaker, born in Paris in 1656. He was educated in a choir school and in 6 months he was said to be bested his teacher. He was hired by the French royal court at Versailles in 1679 where he was appointed, “ordinaire de la chambre du roi pour la viola.” The father of 19 children, Marais was a prolific composer of French Baroque music especially for the viol, authoring hundreds of sonatas, operas and sacred works.  

During intermission, the quartet recital will be paired with an exquisite dinner of Chicken Cordon Bleu, served with fresh spring asparagus and new potatoes, with a Dijon crème sauce, together with imported French wines.  

Come and sign up for a wonderful evening on March 16 at 7 p.m., under the ancient stone walls and hand hewed timbers of Shiloh Manor Farm located at 14781 Berlin Turnpike, Purcellville.

Tickets are available at $100 per ticket at www.shiloh-manor.com.