Salut! Baroque
Salut! Baroque 2024 Concert Season
Concord of Sweet Sounds - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 30 January 2026
"The man that hath no music in himself, / Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, / Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; / The motions of his spirit are dull as night, / And his affections dark as Erebus. / Let no such man be trusted."
William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (c1596)
Shakespeare captures the magical and theatrical elements of melody, with music complementing prose in many of his plays. Our concert journeys through the Baroque period to discover the power, passion and pathos of music, building on the Bard’s inspiration that we should be “moved with concord of sweet sounds”.
Wesley Church
Salut! Baroque 2026 Season - All 4 Concerts (Canberra)
Friday 30 January 2026
Salut! presents its 2026 Concert Season. A subscription covers all four concert dates:
Friday 30 January, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 24 April, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 12 June, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 13 November, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Wesley Church
Concord of Sweet Sounds - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 1 February 2026
"The man that hath no music in himself, / Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, / Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; / The motions of his spirit are dull as night, / And his affections dark as Erebus. / Let no such man be trusted."
William Shakespeare: The Merchant of Venice (c1596)
Shakespeare captures the magical and theatrical elements of melody, with music complementing prose in many of his plays. Our concert journeys through the Baroque period to discover the power, passion and pathos of music, building on the Bard’s inspiration that we should be “moved with concord of sweet sounds”.
Barnet Long Room
Salut! Baroque 2026 Season - All 4 Concerts (Sydney)
Sunday 1 February 2026
Salut! presents its 2026 Concert Season. A subscription covers all four concert dates:
Sunday 1 February, 3.00pm
Sunday 26 April, 3.00pm
Sunday 14 June, 3.00pm
Sunday 15 November, 3.00pm
Customs House on 1 February /Verbrugghen Hall on 26 April, 14 June, 15 November
Invitation to the Dance - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 24 April 2026
“Music and dance are all you need.” Molière: Le bourgeois gentilhomme (1670)
Dance and diplomacy were inseparable at Louis XIV’s opulent palace in Versailles. Every aspect of the palace was designed to reinforce the King’s absolute authority, and Louis protected his political power through pageantry. In appointing the Italian-born musician, composer and dancer Jean-Baptiste Lully as Master of the King's Music, Louis chose a political manipulator whose ruthlessness matched his own. Their control over music, dance and opera was enforced by complex social etiquette, with failure to conform being devastating to ambition – ensuring that the arts had the single purpose of glorifying the King and France.
Wesley Church
Invitation to the Dance - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 26 April 2026
“Music and dance are all you need.” Molière: Le bourgeois gentilhomme (1670)
Dance and diplomacy were inseparable at Louis XIV’s opulent palace in Versailles. Every aspect of the palace was designed to reinforce the King’s absolute authority, and Louis protected his political power through pageantry. In appointing the Italian-born musician, composer and dancer Jean-Baptiste Lully as Master of the King's Music, Louis chose a political manipulator whose ruthlessness matched his own. Their control over music, dance and opera was enforced by complex social etiquette, with failure to conform being devastating to ambition – ensuring that the arts had the single purpose of glorifying the King and France.
Verbrugghen Hall.
Bohemian Rhapsody - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 12 June 2026
“If the Bohemians had the advantages enjoyed by the Italians they would surpass them. They are perhaps the most musical race in all Europe”. Charles Burney (1773)
The celebrations for the crowning of Charles VI as King of Bohemia in Prague in 1723 included an opera performance by 200 musicians and 100 voices. “History does not furnish a more glorious event for music”, Burney boldly asserted. Despite lacking the wealth of neighbouring countries, Bohemia benefited from generous patrons who capitalised on the region’s excellent education system in which music was a core subject, resulting in an exceptionally musically cultured society where creativity flourished.
Wesley Church
Bohemian Rhapsody - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 14 June 2026
“If the Bohemians had the advantages enjoyed by the Italians they would surpass them. They are perhaps the most musical race in all Europe”. Charles Burney (1773)
The celebrations for the crowning of Charles VI as King of Bohemia in Prague in 1723 included an opera performance by 200 musicians and 100 voices. “History does not furnish a more glorious event for music”, Burney boldly asserted. Despite lacking the wealth of neighbouring countries, Bohemia benefited from generous patrons who capitalised on the region’s excellent education system in which music was a core subject, resulting in an exceptionally musically cultured society where creativity flourished.
Verbrugghen Hall.
Charms in Musick - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 13 November 2026
“If there are Charms in Musick in general, all the reasonable World agrees, that the Vocal has the Pre-eminence, both from Nature and Art above the Instrumental.” JE Galliard (1743)
Ancient Greek theatre inspired a gathering of musicians, poets and intellectuals in Florence in the late 16th century to create the dramatic new musical form of Opera, incorporating music, poetry, theatre and visual arts. It was both a culmination of composition for voice over centuries and a starting point for what evolved during the baroque period and beyond of exceptional compositions showcasing the magnificence of the voice, affirming Aristotle’s (c350 BC) belief in the voice being an instrument with a soul.
Wesley Church
Charms in Musick - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 15 November 2026
“If there are Charms in Musick in general, all the reasonable World agrees, that the Vocal has the Pre-eminence, both from Nature and Art above the Instrumental.” JE Galliard (1743)
Ancient Greek theatre inspired a gathering of musicians, poets and intellectuals in Florence in the late 16th century to create the dramatic new musical form of Opera, incorporating music, poetry, theatre and visual arts. It was both a culmination of composition for voice over centuries and a starting point for what evolved during the baroque period and beyond of exceptional compositions showcasing the magnificence of the voice, affirming Aristotle’s (c350 BC) belief in the voice being an instrument with a soul.
Verbrugghen Hall.
Voice, Rejoice! - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 26 October 2025
The versatility of the voice has fascinated composers through the ages, from its purest form to its most virtuosic. This concert presents music of extraordinary variety and exquisite beauty - from the rhythms and colours of Spanish song, the majesty of the German choral tradition, the refinement of French opera, and the passion and theatricality of Italian arias. Through exploration and experimentation, composers harnessed the voice to reflect a spectrum of nuanced emotions such as tenderness, frailty and resentment. Singers became celebrities as they gave voice to emotions ranging from sensuousness and high passion to dark themes of anguish and revenge. Drama was the currency of the day and singers were the “rock stars”!
Verbrugghen Hall.
Salut! Baroque 2025 Season - 3 Concerts (Sydney)
Sunday 13 April 2025
Salut! presents its 2025 Concert Season. A subscription covers three concert dates in Verbrugghen Hall:
Sunday 13 April, 3.00pm
Sunday 20 July, 3.00pm
Sunday 26 October, 3.00pm
Verbrugghen Hall
Salut! Baroque 2025 Season - All 4 Concerts (Sydney)
Sunday 2 February 2025
Salut! presents its 2025 Concert Season. A subscription covers all four concert dates in Verbrugghen Hall:
Sunday 2 February, 3.00pm
Sunday 13 April, 3.00pm
Sunday 20 July, 3.00pm
Sunday 26 October, 3.00pm
Verbrugghen Hall
Voice, Rejoice! - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 24 October 2025
The versatility of the voice has fascinated composers through the ages, from its purest form to its most virtuosic. This concert presents music of extraordinary variety and exquisite beauty - from the rhythms and colours of Spanish song, the majesty of the German choral tradition, the refinement of French opera, and the passion and theatricality of Italian arias. Through exploration and experimentation, composers harnessed the voice to reflect a spectrum of nuanced emotions such as tenderness, frailty and resentment. Singers became celebrities as they gave voice to emotions ranging from sensuousness and high passion to dark themes of anguish and revenge. Drama was the currency of the day and singers were the “rock stars”!
Wesley Church
Salut! Baroque 2025 Season - 3 Concerts (Canberra)
Friday 11 April 2025
Salut! presents its 2025 Concert Season in Wesley Church, Forrest:
Friday 11 April, 7.30pm
Friday 18 July, 7.30pm
Friday 24 October, 7.30pm
Wesley Church
Salut! Baroque 2025 Season - All 4 Concerts (Canberra)
Friday 31 January 2025
Salut! presents its 2025 Concert Season. A subscription covers all four concert dates:
Friday 31 January, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 11 April, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 18 July, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 24 October, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Wesley Church
The Entrepreneur - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 20 July 2025
Celebrity culture thrived during the baroque period and Georg Philipp Telemann was one of the stars! A prolific composer of over 3,000 compositions that demonstrated an uncanny sense of popular musical trends, Telemann was the most famous composer in Germany in his day. Being skilled on eleven instruments gave him the ability to understand “each instrument and what suits it best”. He absorbed and sampled music from throughout Europe, and boasted that he could compose in the “Italian, French, English, Scottish and Polish styles”. Telemann was also at the forefront of printing technology and was a brilliant promoter of his own publications, amassing hundreds of subscribers.
Verbrugghen Hall.
The Entrepreneur - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 18 July 2025
Celebrity culture was alive and well in the baroque period and Georg Philipp Telemann was one of the stars! A prolific composer of over 3,000 compositions that demonstrated an uncanny sense of popular musical trends, Telemann was the most famous composer in Germany in his day. Being skilled on eleven instruments gave him the ability to understand “each instrument and what suits it best”. He absorbed and sampled music from throughout Europe, and boasted that he could compose in the “Italian, French, English, Scottish and Polish styles”. Telemann was also at the forefront of printing technology and was a brilliant promoter of his own publications, amassing hundreds of subscribers.
Wesley Church
Baroque Spirit - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 13 April 2025
Baroque music encapsulates the dynamic spirit of the 17th and 18th centuries that goes beyond listening pleasure to reflect the social, cultural and political upheavals of the period. Drawing inspiration from Ottoman, Romani and Celtic influences, Baroque Spirit explores the rich weave of styles as nations looked beyond their European borders towards new discoveries. Composers sought innovative approaches to embellish their work for a newly popularised music market. This was aided by explorers, traders and missionaries, reflecting their thirst for new horizons and unique perspectives in an ever-expanding world. The result was music that bridged time and place, building on ancient foundations to develop a new spirit of musical exuberance and vitality.
Verbrugghen Hall.
Baroque Spirit - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 11 April 2025
Baroque music encapsulates the dynamic spirit of the 17th and 18th centuries that goes beyond listening pleasure to reflect the social, cultural and political upheavals of the period. Drawing inspiration from Ottoman, Romani and Celtic influences, Baroque Spirit explores the rich weave of styles as nations looked beyond their European borders towards new discoveries. Composers sought innovative approaches to embellish their work for a newly popularised music market. This was aided by explorers, traders and missionaries, reflecting their thirst for new horizons and unique perspectives in an ever-expanding world. The result was music that bridged time and place, building on ancient foundations to develop a new spirit of musical exuberance and vitality.
Wesley Church
Music to Celebrate - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 2 February 2025
A feast of glorious music launches our celebratory year, with compositions spanning 400 years. Creativity bloomed in the baroque period as concerts moved away from the confines of the church and royal courts into the public realm, with different styles becoming the “pop music” of the day. Music became more accessible through printing, creating an independent market for enterprising composers, performers, publishers and promoters alike. Our program will include some of The Four Seasons by Giovanni Guido, written around eight years before Vivaldi’s most famous composition, and Jan Rokyta’s enchanting Balkanology, written 300 years later and inspired by traditional Romanian and Turkish music with its complex rhythms and harmonies.
Music Workshop
Music to Celebrate - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 31 January 2025
A feast of glorious music launches our 30th anniversary year, with compositions spanning 400 years. Creativity flowered in the baroque period as concerts moved away from the church and court into the public realm. Music became more accessible, creating an independent market for enterprising composers, performers, publishers and promoters alike. Our program will include some of The Four Seasons by Giovanni Guido, written around eight years before Vivaldi’s most famous composition, and Jan Rokyta’s enchanting Balkanology, inspired by traditional Romanian and Turkish music with its complex rhythms and harmonies.
Wesley Church
The Networker - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 13 October 2024
With his exceptional networking skills and his 43-year association with the Dresden Court Orchestra, including 27 years as concert master, Johann Georg Pisendel was the beating heart of the most famous orchestra in 18th century Europe. Pisendel gathered and inspired a remarkable group of musicians and composers, including Vivaldi, Telemann, Bach, Albinoni, Quantz and Zelenka, many of whom dedicated works to him. Pisendel was a fastidious music copyist during his tenure. He also amassed a collection of more than 2,000 music scores from his trips to Italy and France, giving the orchestra unparalleled access to repertoire.
Verbrugghen Hall.
Salut! Baroque 2024 Season - All 3 Concerts (Sydney)
Sunday 5 May 2024
Salut! presents its 2024 Concert Season. A subscription covers three concert dates in Verbrugghen Hall:
Sunday 5 May, 3.00pm
Sunday 23 June, 3.00pm
Sunday 13 October, 3.00pm
Verbrugghen Hall
Salut! Baroque 2024 Season - All 4 Concerts (Sydney)
Sunday 18 February 2024
Salut! presents its 2024 Concert Season. A subscription covers all four concert dates in Verbrugghen Hall:
Sunday 18 February, 3.00pm
Sunday 5 May, 3.00pm
Sunday 23 June, 3.00pm
Sunday 13 October, 3.00pm
Verbrugghen Hall
The Networker - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 11 October 2024
With his exceptional networking skills and his 43-year association with the Dresden Court Orchestra, including 27 years as concert master, Johann Georg Pisendel was the beating heart of the most famous orchestra in 18th century Europe. Pisendel gathered and inspired a remarkable group of musicians and composers, including Vivaldi, Telemann, Bach, Albinoni, Quantz and Zelenka, many of whom dedicated works to him. Pisendel was a fastidious music copyist during his tenure. He also amassed a collection of more than 2,000 music scores from his trips to Italy and France, giving the orchestra unparalleled access to repertoire.
Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia
Salut! Baroque 2024 Season - 3 Concerts (Canberra)
Friday 3 May 2024
Salut! presents its 2024 Concert Season. Dates of our remaining three concerts are:
Friday 3 May, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 21 June, 7.30pm (Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia)
Friday 11 October, 7.30pm (Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia)
Fairfax Theatre, NGA
Salut! Baroque 2024 Season - All 4 Concerts (Canberra)
Friday 16 February 2024
Salut! presents its 2024 Concert Season. A subscription covers all four concert dates:
Friday 16 February, 7.30pm (Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia)
Friday 3 May, 7.30pm (Wesley Church)
Friday 21 June, 7.30pm (Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia)
Friday 11 October, 7.30pm (Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia)
Fairfax Theatre, NGA
The Historian - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 23 June 2024
Travelling widely throughout Europe and befriending musicians from Handel to Haydn, it is hard to believe that Charles Burney began his career as an indentured servant musician. With his intellect and extensive networking, Burney embarked on cultural pilgrimages, leaving a legacy of strongly opinionated letters, three books and four volumes of the History of Music. These reveal some of the most extraordinary aspects of daily and cultural life during the baroque period. Burney’s historical accounts, replete with gossip and withering observations, enrich our appreciation of the compositions and provide us with a rich source of cultural history.
Verbrugghen Hall.
The Historian - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 21 June 2024
Travelling widely throughout Europe and befriending musicians from Handel to Haydn, it is hard to believe that Charles Burney began his career as an indentured servant musician. With his intellect and extensive networking, Burney embarked on cultural pilgrimages, leaving a legacy of strongly opinionated letters, three books and four volumes of the History of Music. These reveal some of the most extraordinary aspects of daily and cultural life during the baroque period. Burney’s historical accounts, replete with gossip and withering observations, enrich our appreciation of the compositions and provide us with a rich source of cultural history.
Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia
The Influencers - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 5 May 2024
Expectations were high for salaried composers during the Baroque period. Constant demands for new repertoire required inspiration and creativity as well as talent. Influence ebbed and flowed between composers, nations, styles and beliefs. Bach was inspired by his devoutness and his vast collection of other composers’ works; Handel reinvented himself between German, Italian and English styles, depending on where he was living and what was fashionable; Purcell loved theatrical spectacle; and Rameau was fascinated by the exploration of culture from abroad. In turn, our curious composers influenced generations of musicians to continually discover new horizons of musical creativity.
Verbrugghen Hall.
The Influencers - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 3 May 2024
Expectations were high for salaried composers during the Baroque period. Constant demands for new repertoire required inspiration and creativity as well as talent. Influence ebbed and flowed between composers, nations, styles and beliefs. Bach was inspired by his devoutness and his vast collection of other composers’ works; Handel reinvented himself between German, Italian and English styles, depending on where he was living and what was fashionable; Purcell loved theatrical spectacle; and Rameau was fascinated by the exploration of culture from abroad. In turn, our curious composers influenced generations of musicians to continually discover new horizons of musical creativity.
Wesley Church
The Genius - Salut! Baroque (Sydney)
Sunday 18 February 2024
CPE Bach described his father’s house as “like a pigeonry, and just as full of life”, with Johann Sebastian keeping an open house where “no master of music was likely to travel through [Leipzig] without making my father's acquaintance and letting himself be heard by him”. Bach was a genial host, in contrast to his combative relationship with authority. The complex character behind the music we admire so greatly was not always so well regarded during his life, and it was often his rivals who enjoyed the greater success. This program places the genius of Bach’s music beside the composers who most impacted his life and work.
Verbrugghen Hall.
The Genius - Salut! Baroque (Canberra)
Friday 16 February 2024
CPE Bach described his father’s house as “like a pigeonry, and just as full of life”, with Johann Sebastian keeping an open house where “no master of music was likely to travel through [Leipzig] without making my father's acquaintance and letting himself be heard by him”. Bach was a genial host, in contrast to his combative relationship with authority. The complex character behind the music we admire so greatly was not always so well regarded during his life, and it was often his rivals who enjoyed the greater success. This program places the genius of Bach’s music beside the composers who most impacted his life and work.
Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia
