Consortium Aurora Borealis
P.O. Box 21027, 640 River Street P7A 8A7 Thunder Bay, ON, Canada

Today we commemorate the birth of the famed composer George Frideric Handel, born on February 23, 1685 (the same year as J. S. Bach and Domenico Scarlatti) in Halle, Germany. He moved to London, England in 1712, and later became a British subject. Beethoven declared him to be "the master of us all...the greatest composer that ever lived. I would uncover my head and kneel before his tomb." Here are two portraits, followed by a manuscript of an excerpt from his Coronation Anthem "The King Shall Rejoice" HWV 260 (text from Psalm 21), one of four such anthems written by him under commission in 1727 for the coronation of King George II of Great Britain, who was crowned in Westminster Abbey in October of that year. George II ruled until his death in 1760, and was born two years before Handel.

We welcome our very special guest, Thunder Bay born and raised flamenco guitarist, composer, and recording artist Matt Sellick. He draws you into his unique musical world with Flamenco Reflections on Love and Life for Valentine’s Day! His performances have been called heartfelt passionate hypnotic. Matt states While almost none of my music is overtly ‘romantic’, a lot of it is nonetheless an expression of love for places and people. I felt this would make it appropriate for February 14th this year; when we can’t be with people we love, perhaps we can take a moment to reflect, and to appreciate what they mean to us. We are honoured to present four of his original compositions for you to enjoy! https://youtu.be/FTaJyU6iNT0

Stay tuned for a Valentine Surprise from Consortium, Coming Soon!Stay tuned for a Valentine Surprise from Consortium, Coming Soon!

Feeling Sad... The final live concert of our 42nd season was to have been on Saturday, February 6, 2021!Feeling Sad... The final live concert of our 42nd season was to have been on Saturday, February 6, 2021!

We are delighted to offer you a special holiday gift of music for flute and piano, with hopes to warm your hearts and lift your spirits this festive season. We invite you to cozy up with some cocoa or mulled wine and enjoy a collection of four pieces full of lyrical beauty. These works are performed by two of our original and well-loved musicians: Doris Dungan and Heather Morrison. A Holiday Potpourri includes selections from Claude Debussy, Frédéric Chopin, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Mel Bonis (a little known, but prolific female French composer). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1-V2h5p05c

Ludwig van Beethoven's own fortepiano was built in 1817 by Thomas Broadwood of London, England and gifted to him by the maker. It reached him in Vienna after seven months of travelling by sea and overland by cart. Its voice has recently resurfaced, since Beethoven's instrument was restored to playing condition in 1991; it has subsequently been featured in concert. The fortepiano is an early piano, lighter, with a smaller range, and a different timbre; it gradually evolved into the concert grand as we know it. Broadwood was responsible for many innovations. The firm is still in existence.

Here is a lesser-known portrait of a 33-year-old Ludwig von Beethoven, whose birthday we celebrate today. It was painted in 1803 by Christian Hornemann. "I am not satisfied with the work I have done so far. From now on I intend to take a new way", declared Beethoven that year. With his Symphonies #1 and 2 behind him, he had started in this new vein by 1803 with his 3rd, "Eroica", inspired by the heroic Napoleon. His hearing loss had already commenced, but he moved to sublime heights as he entered his middle compositional period.

Continuing on our St. Cecilia’s Day celebratory theme, we present a link to Henry Purcell’s first Ode for Saint Cecilia’s Day, Welcome to all the pleasures, Z. 339 (1683), commissioned by London’s organization The Musical Society, for performance on the actual feast day. https://youtu.be/23iPhWFwcBk The text begins: Welcome to all the pleasures that delight Of ev'ry sense the grateful appetite.... Hail, great assembly of Apollo's race. Hail to this happy place, this musical assembly That seems to be the arc of universal harmony. See more

Happy 250th Birthday to Ludwig van Beethoven! Listen to Minnesota Public Radio’s all-day Beethoven Birthday Bash listening marathon...it’s wonderful! I have it on right now! I miss you all! Cheers, Elizabeth https://www.classicalmpr.org//12/16/beethoven-birthday-bash

This year marks the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven and we've decided to celebrate it on our new YouTube Channel! We're also very excited to announce a new video series called FRONTROW@CAB where we will highlight local musicians through a series of close and intimate concerts as if you were sitting in the front row. Join us in celebrating Beethoven's birthday with Evgeny Chugunov's performance of the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 10, No. 3 in D major. ...The bold and festive character of the opening Presto movement is perfectly suited to being Consortium’s special 250th Birthday tribute. Dr. Chugunov, points out that the first movement demonstrates Beethoven's exceptional motivic development skills and is based on the opening four descending notes. https://youtu.be/vpvhRdhGZW4

Tonight was to have been our first Baroque Consortium concert of the season, with a very full string ensemble led by Tafelmusik violinist Julia Wedman, performing 17th-century theatre music of Purcell and Lully. Alas, the pandemic forced us to postpone this to a future season. We give you a glimpse of what might have been!

HAPPY SAINT CECILIA’S DAY! Patron Saint of Music and Musicians!HAPPY SAINT CECILIA’S DAY! Patron Saint of Music and Musicians!

The Consortium AGM 2020 will report on our amazing 41st season. We were very fortunate to have completed our entire concert line up before the pandemic struck! We are sad that we are unable to offer live concerts at present, but look forward to the happy day when life will return to normal!

Last chance to register to attend Consortium AGM held on Tues. Nov. 10, 7 PM On Zoom - RSVPLast chance to register to attend Consortium AGM held on Tues. Nov. 10, 7 PM On Zoom - RSVP

Hail! Bright Cecilia! These words are taken from Henry Purcell’s second Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day of 1692. Today, November 22, marks the feast day of St. Cecilia, Patron Saint of Music and Musicians, a joyous day which was celebrated annually in England, commencing in 1683 with a performance of Purcell’s first St. Cecilia ode, Welcome to all the pleasures (two years before the births of J.S. Bach, Handel, and Domenico Scarlatti). St. Cecilia of Rome was an important late-2nd century Christian martyr, and was buried in the catacombs. Here is a link to an excerpt from Purcell’s ode Hail! Bright Cecilia for you to enjoy. Happy St. Cecilia)’s Day! https://youtu.be/5AGUGdLj3Vo

Autumn is here! In some parts of the country we may still see the leaves in their glory of flaming colour! Snow has already fallen in Thunder Bay, I hear, and trees are being stripped bare, but where I am in Toronto the colours are still blazing! As Artistic Director I am working on how to get some musical colour out to our fans, and I am putting together plans for short video clips as played by some Consortium musicians. We hope to start offering these online as of December. Stay tuned! - E.G.

Today we commemorate the 325th Anniversary of the death of the incomparable Henry Purcell, one of England's greatest composers. Born in 1659, he died on November 21, 1695, aptly on the Eve of the Feast of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. He was honoured by being buried next to the organ in London's Westminster Abbey; his epitaph reads: "Here lyes Henry Purcell Esq., who left this life and is gone to that Blessed Place where only His harmony can be exceeded." Here is a link to "An Ode, on the Death of Mr. Henry Purcell (Mark how the lark and linnet sing)" , a moving tribute by two of his contemporaries, composer John Blow with text by Restoration poet and playwright John Dryden. https://youtu.be/pMqiTtP1bTU

Here is Consortium’s extremely hard-working Secretary, the amazing Catherine (Cathy) Breckenridge! She is from time to time assisted(?!) by her cat Lucy (Lucille Ball) Breckenridge, although her owner claims that it is actually hard to get work done because of Lucy demanding her attention by sitting on her papers and walking across the computer keyboard. I understand that this is not uncommon behaviour amongst cats! Most recently, Cathy brilliantly organized the creation of and the sending out of invitations to our 2020 Annual General Meeting of November 10. We officially welcomed six new board members, and were delighted to install Mona Chiasson as President and newcomer Arno Kalbus as Vice-President!