Piffaro, the locally based but internationally acclaimed Renaissance Band, will present three performances of  “All Excellent & Esteemed – The Bassano Family” March 21 through 23. The local concert is scheduled for Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave.

Before that performance, “Excellent & Esteemed” will be performed Friday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Episcopal Cathedral Church of the Savior, 38th and Ludlow Streets, in University City. The program will be repeated Sunday, March 23, at 3 p.m. in Christ Church Christiana Hundred in Wilmington.

Members of the Renaissance Bassano family were playing in the band of the Doge of “La Serenissima” (The Most Serene Republic of Venice) when England’s King Henry VIII sent his representative across Europe to help him assemble the best band in the world. When his agent heard the Bassanos in Venice, he declared them “all excellent and esteemed above all others in this city.” After lengthy negotiations, five of the Bassano brothers agreed to move to England to join the King’s court. They performed for the rich and powerful, composed music on their own, and left their literal mark of silkworm moths on instruments they built, some of which survive to this day.

For more information visit piffaro.org

Franklin Quartet Recital

The Franklin Quartet, Philadelphia’s period instruments quartet, will present a recital program entitled “Linnea Borealis” Sunday, March 23, at 3 p.m. in Old Swedes’ “Gloria Dei” Episcopal Church, 916 S. Swanson Street in Queen Village. 

The program includes works by Franz Berwald, Joseph Martin Kraus, and Amanda Rontgen-Maier. For more information visit franklinquartet.com.

Weekend Matinees

I took advantage of a fortuitously scheduled pair of weekend matinees Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9. On the former, I saw the Philadelphia Ballet’s stunning production of Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” in a packed Academy of Music. On the latter, I heard a splendidly played concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra in the Kimmel Center’s Marian Anderson Hall; it, too, was performed before a full house.

Saturday afternoon’s performance by the Philadelphia Ballet of “Swan Lake” was a masterpiece of technical perfection and visual splendor. Artistic Director Angel Corella’s choreography (based on that from the 1887 revival by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov) is pyrotechnically dazzling for the soloists and spacious for the female corps de ballet. Benjamin Tyrrell’s scenic and costume design evokes both the supernatural world of swans as well as the timeless romanticism of imperial Russia. Michael Korsch’s lighting brought the Academy’s vast stage to life with both lyricism and menace.

Yuka Iseda essayed the dual roles of the good white swan, Odette, and the evil black swan, Odile, with consummate artistry. She was lighter than air as the former and down-and-dirty as the latter.

 Ashton Roxander was, as Prince Siegfried, her show-stopping lover and victim, in turn. His flawless technique allowed him to leap and turn like a spinning top yet land with nary a sound. And his character portrayal was simple yet potent.

Austin Eyler was dashingly demonic as Von Rothbart, the wicked motivator behind Odile’s fatal seduction of the hapless Siegfried. Christine Stone Martin was a regal Queen, unable to save her son from doom.

Deserving equal accolades was the female corps de ballet. They danced Corella’s daunting choreography without a hint of imperfection. 

Philadelphia Ballet returns to the Academy of Music May 8-11 with “La Sylphide.” Visit philadelphiaballet.org for more information.

Mighty ‘Eroica’

Ludwig van Beethoven’s mighty “Eroica” Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Opus 55, was unquestionably the major work on the Philadelphia Orchestra’s program March 7-9 in Marian Anderson Hall. Still, there was great interest in hearing Michael Tilson Thomas’ “Agnegram,” both for the score itself, and because the composer was also the intended conductor on the podium for these concerts.

Sadly, Tilson Thomas’ deteriorating health precluded his presence in Philadelphia. Fortunately, Finnish-born Maestro Osmo Vanska stepped into the breach, keeping the original program, which also featured Pierre-Laurent Aimard as soloist in Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D.

“Agnegram” proved to be a delightful opening of the afternoon’s musical festivities. Its orchestration makes use of virtually every instrument known to humankind, its rhythms are spikey, its harmonies are tart, and it’s structured without a wasted measure. It received a thrilling interpretation.

The Ravel is a scintillating blend of French post-Impressionism and American Jazz. Aimard played it with daring panache.

And, as always, the “Fabulous Philadelphians” gave the “Eroica” a monumental reading. Every section of the ensemble played beautifully, most especially the strings. They may no longer be able to evoke the shimmering beauty of the era of Eugene Ormandy, but nonetheless, they played marvelously. Also worthy of note: Ormandy’s formula of overture—concerto—symphony still works its wonders.

You can contact NOTEWORTHY at Michael-caruso@comcast.net.