The Sincerest Form of Flattery: Imitation, Parody, and Inspiration Through the Ages

The Bach Parley is excited to partner with choral ensemble Festina for this concert featuring a variety of parodied pieces from the Baroque era. During the eighteenth century, composers showed their appreciation for other musicians’ works by “parodying” them, or copying various aspects of the pieces with new text, slightly altered instrumental parts, or modified style. The Bach Parley and Festina plan to showcase this flattering tradition by pairing up original works with their later parodies. Featured composers include Dietrich Buxtehude, Johann Sebastian Bach, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Antonio Vivaldi, and modern composer Caroline Shaw.

Bach Parley Director Valerie Arsenault expressed enthusiasm about this concert program and collaboration, citing her friendship with Festina’s co-director, Shannon Rose McAuliffe, as the spark for this event. McAuliffe described her ensemble’s excitement about this program: “Festina is delighted to be joining the Bach Parley for these concerts; both ensembles work at the nexus of scholarship and performance, and we’re excited to present a program that encompasses several treatments of tunes and texts that represent myriad perspectives across time . . .This partnership between Festina and the Bach Parley provides an engaging blend of contemplative reverence, cheeky irreverence, and virtuosic vitality that will be accessible to concertgoers of all ages and levels of familiarity with Baroque music.”