Coming up in Philly music: Allen Krantz performs at Laurel Hill Mansion

For much of the 19th century, the guitar was the standard home music instrument. It was eventually superseded by the piano, but it’s still an ideal instrument for parlor musicales like the Laurel Hill Concerts by Candlelight series. This Sunday, guitarist Allen Krantz will make his annual appearance at the Laurel Hill mansion in Fairmount Park, exploring the guitar repertoire in the pleasantly informal atmosphere of an 18th-century living room.

Krantz is a guitarist with a sensitive, nuanced touch, but he’s also a personable speaker who usually laces his concerts with informative, frequently entertaining remarks on the music. In addition to his accomplishments as a performer and composer, he’s taught general courses on music at Temple University Center City and presented pre-concert lectures before Philadelphia Orchestra programs. He’s one of the most popular guest artists in the region, appearing regularly with groups like 1807 & Friends, Dolce Suono, and the Philadelphia Chamber Ensemble. He’ll be playing pieces by four composers who have surprising historical links: Bach, Chopin, the 20th-century Paraguayan guitarist Agustin Barrios, and the Baroque lutenist Sylvius Weiss. The Chopin selections will be a group of favorites Krantz has transcribed for the guitar. The Weiss will be a sonata Krantz says he has been excited about “for the last few years.”

The concert will be followed, as usual, by a reception on the back porch of the mansion, overlooking the banks of the Schuylkill.

Concerts by Candlelight will present guitarist Allen Krantz at 6:30pm on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at the Laurel Hill Mansion, 7201 Randolph Drive. Tickets are $25 and they’re available at online, by calling (215) 643-7923, and at the door.