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Classical picks: Dover plays Mozart; A John Cage app

Rosenmüller in Exile. The backstory is almost as rich as the music in this new recording by the early-music group Acronym and baritone Jesse Blumberg. Johann Rosenmüller (1619-84) was one of Leipzig's most promising composers until he was arrested for sod

Jazz pianist Uri Caine will appear at Swarthmore with vocalist Theo Bleckmann.
Jazz pianist Uri Caine will appear at Swarthmore with vocalist Theo Bleckmann.Read more

Rosenmüller in Exile. The backstory is almost as rich as the music in this new recording by the early-music group Acronym and baritone Jesse Blumberg. Johann Rosenmüller (1619-84) was one of Leipzig's most promising composers until he was arrested for sodomy, escaped from prison, and fled to Venice, where he was a trombonist at St. Mark's Basilica and rebuilt his reputation as a composer. He wrote this collection of sonatas for string ensemble and cantatas for baritone voice while in exile. The music is excellent, reflecting some operatic influences of the early baroque period. Surfaces are poised and glossy, but one need not listen far to hear all kinds of under-the-surface restlessness and anguish. Curiously, the pieces end almost casually, with a "to-be-continued" quality. Performances are intelligent and animated. Sound production is first-class. Information: www.newfocusrecordings.com. - David Patrick Stearns

Classical Transformers. Jazz pianist Uri Caine and vocalist Theo Bleckmann team up Saturday at Swarthmore College for a concert with an intriguing premise. The starting point is works by classical composers - Mozart, Mahler, and Kurt Weill, for instance - from which the two build out a new piece through improvisation. The Philadelphia-born Caine is well-known in the area for his genre-bending approach to developing musical material. Bleckmann, from Germany, is a no-less- curious mind, encompassing the worlds of jazz, classical, cabaret, and performance art. The 8 p.m. concert is free. 484-432-8486, www.swarthmore.edu/cooper-series. - Peter Dobrin