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The Heavenly Harpsichord

First United Methodist Church 314 Lead Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM, United States

With its unmistakable sound, the harpsichord dominated music from 18th-century parlors to the music of the Beatles. But the instrument arguably never had a better friend than J.S. Bach. Hear two of the master’s concertos for harpsichord and the harpsichord-laden Fifth Brandenburg Concerto. Father Seán Duggan, a monk and a specialist in Bach’s keyboard repertoire, serves as soloist.

Beethoven’s Sixth

First United Methodist Church 314 Lead Ave SW, Albuquerque, NM, United States

Beethoven wrote his pastoral symphony at the same time as the much-more dramatic Fifth Symphony. A nature lover at heart, his Sixth Symphony is rooted in the outdoors, including capturing birdsong in the score, and is one of only a few works of Beethoven’s that could be considered program music.