We’re opening the season for Music In Los Altos! So what’s special about Music In Los Altos concerts?

YOU DON’T HAVE TO SIT STILL! Albany Consort director Jonathan Salzedo remarks, “I hate being glued to my seat in a show. I love having some fruit or dessert to snack on. I sympathize with people who are dragged to a concert and have to be on best behavior.”

MUSIC IN LOS ALTOS CONCERTS WORK DIFFERENTLY. You can sit up close to the action and savor every moment, or you can sit at a table with friends enjoying a snack, or you can take a stroll outside for a chat and enjoy the music in the background. You may be surprised to know that this way of doing things has a long history, and the sit-still concert hall is a 19^th century invention that we think is far from ideal.

WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS CONCERT is centered around Bach’s Fifth Brandenburg Concerto. Bach went out on a limb making the harpsichord the big soloist. All six of the Brandenburg Concertos have unusual scoring and were rejected by the orchestra they were written for – too unusual, too difficult, too weird. A few centuries later they are fully established as the best and remain as fresh as ever.

WHY IS BACH ON THIS PROGRAM? Jonathan answers, “I will be playing it later in the month in a big concert with Symphony San Jose in the California Theatre. That will be fun too, but I wanted also the chance to do it in an intimate room as it might have been done in Bach’s time.”

Making up the program we’ve got REBEL’s Chaos – shockingly daring for its time (1741), PURCELL putting forward the English position (1690), and MUFFAT going for peace in Europe by connecting French, Italian and German national styles of his time (1680).

BUT IT’S ALL REALLY OLD MUSIC. Yes, but it really is as vibrant as it was in its day. Something for all to enjoy. Something to arouse the senses. And snacks!

SURPRISE YOURSELF and support this venture in your community.

OK, WHEN AND WHERE AND HOW MUCH? Los Altos Lutheran, Friday October 13, 7:30pm, $35 general, family rate $100, special $15 for church members and guests.

DETAILS all at www.MusicInLosAltos.com

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS consort@albanyconsort.com