The festive and dramatic Coronation Mass is the greatest of a series of church works written by the young Mozart for the Salzburg court. We perform it as it would have been heard in Salzburg Cathedral. The Mass is contrasted with other works Mozart wrote for the court orchestra.

This programme is a selection of the sort of music English aristocrats on the Grand Tour would have heard, in Louis XIV’s private apartments at Versailles, in the great Italian court and churches, and back home in London.

J.S. Bach’s sonatas for viola da gamba or bass viol with harpsichord are among the greatest works for the instrument. Steven Devine also plays two complementary but contrasted solos: the Italian Concerto BWV971 and Overture in the French Style BWV831 for harpsichord.

In this masterclass recorder players are given the opportunity to be coached by Pamela Thorby in solo or ensemble music. Listeners are guaranteed fascinating insights into the recorder and its music, the challenges of performing Renaissance and Baroque music, and the art of performance in general.

Henry Purcell’s score for The Prophetess, or The History of Dioclesian was a landmark in English musical history. In this complete performance of Purcell’s music, the various musical scenes are linked by a witty verse narrative, written and performed by Andrew Pinnock, Purcell scholar and Head of Music at the University of Southampton.