Philadelphia Classical Symphony

Fri., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., $15-$35, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-228-2224, classicalsymphony.org.

by Peter Burwasser

The schlocky pop group Mannheim Steamroller is not nearly as innovative and bold as the original Mannheim Orchestra, the 18th-century ensemble that inspired their name. The real-deal musicians were part of what was probably the first virtuoso orchestra in Europe, capable of tremendous agility and dynamic range, including such tricks as the famous Mannheim rocket, a huge extended crescendo that thrilled the audiences of the day. They inspired composers to expand their vocabularies, leading to the groundbreaking symphonies of Haydn and Mozart, but there was also a group of lesser-known figures that were more closely associated with Mannheim. Their music will be featured on this concert by Philadelphia Classical Symphony (along with one Mozart masterpiece, his Sinfonia Concertante, featuring Philadelphia Orchestra members Hirono Oka, violin, and Choong-Jin Chang, viola, in the solo parts). The balance of the program includes music of Stamitz, Boieldieu, Beck and the son of a slave and a plantation owner, one Chevalier Saint-Georges, otherwise known as "the black Mozart."

Fri., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., $15-$35, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-228-2224, classicalsymphony.org.