January 1, 2013 at 1:42 AM
It is a Houston tradition that I have come to look forward to each year: the annual playing of the Brandenburg Concertos on New Year's Day.Each New Year's Day, several amateur musicians in the greater Houston area get together to play through ALL of the Brandenburg concertos. Soloists volunteer themselves and some bring period instruments. The most unusual is a retrofitted violin for the violin-piccolo in the 1st concerto. The person that plays it is primarily a violist, go figure!
The highlight, for me as a violist is #6, for 2 violas, de gambas, cello, bass and harpsichord. All violists that are there play one of the two parts. It is so popular that there are 3 to a part most times, with us all standing in a circle.
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