When it was founded in 1973, Boston Baroque was the first major period-instrument orchestra in the U.S. specializing in Baroque music. By general consensus, it remains one of the best, with a long record of performances and recordings of novel and interesting repertory. Boston Baroque has been directed through its entire lifetime by conductor and harpsichordist Martin Pearlman, who has also unearthed new works and prepared them for performance. The group's original name was Banchetto Musicale, taken from a collection of instrumental dances by Johann Hermann Schein. At the time...