28/06/2008

Johann Georg Pisendel - Sonata c-moll


Verrukkelijke Barokmuziek; schitterend!
Johann Georg Pisendel - 1687-1755
This German Baroque musician and composer, who has been ignored, was a remarkable individual. Pisendel was one of the leading violinists for the Dresden Court Orchestra. His devotion to carry on his musical and performance duties is certainly a trait to be admired.
It's worth mentioning that Pisendel took lessons and studied with Antonio Vivaldi during his stay in Venice during 1716-1717. The two musicians developed a profound relationship which went beyond than the typical Teacher-Student acquaintance. Pisendel was allowed to copy several works directly from Vivaldi and even received some original manuscripts as presents directly from the Italia n master. Pisendel did not take advantage of Vivaldi's works but rather made sure that these works were secured with pride in the repertory of the court orchestra. Vivaldi went even as far as composing works dedicated to Pisendel. But Vivaldi was not the only composer with whom Pisendel came into close contact. J.S. Bach, Telemann and Albinoni also dedicated works to Pisendel as well, at the same time these co mposers admired Pisendel for his success as an orchestral director. It was said that the precision with which Pisendel worked was remarkable. Before a new musical piece was to be performed, Pisendel would go through every orchestral part adding detailed expression marks.
It seems to me, therefore, that Pisendel was a man who possessed tremendous characteristics as a musician and as a human being. His commitment and dedication to his orchestral duties were definitely something to take note of. Consequently, prominent Baroque composers such as Vi valdi, Bach and Telemann had solid reasons to admire and to enter into close relationship with this outstanding German Baroque composer.

Ballo & Saltarello - Simone Molinaro (1565-1615)

27/06/2008

Dowland Can she excuse my wrongs


"Can she excuse my wrongs" by John Dowland from Valeria Mignaco & Alfonso Marin on Vimeo.

"Flow my tears" by John Dowland

A Chanter M'er

Beatriz, Countess of Dia (12th C.) (France) allows us a unique personal perspective of a world ruled by a rigid code of courtly love. The text for this song is outside the male, more formal, esthetic of courtly love because of its directness, immediacy and personal viewpoint. The Countess, wife of Guilhèm de Poitiers, lived in southern France in the 12th century, a period favorable for the economic independence of aristocratic women. The legal system in southern France allowed women to inherit property. They often ruled their family estates while their husbands were away fighting in the crusades, freedoms that were gradually whittled away in later centuries. Although this was an era when poetry and music by women flourished, there are only 23 surviving poems by women and only four melodies. We are fortunate to have the both the melody and poetic text for the Countess of Dia's song, one of only two extant melodies of its kind surviving from the 12th century. Countess de Dia

Veracini - Largo

Francesco Maria Veracini was born on February 1st, 1690 in Florence, Italy and d died on October 31st 1768 in Florence. This Italian composer and violinist, who was a rising star among the Baroque musicians. Even though Veracini was a skillful violinist, at least half of his work s were intended for the voice. Among his four operas are at least nine Oratorios, three pieces for church music , a number of cantatas and songs. Therefore one cannot assume his virtuosity limited potential vocal works, which indicates that Veracini was not inexperienced in vocal music. 
Veracini was a man who followed his own independence. It is believed that his independent character led him to acquire a bad reputation among some musicians. Did his comtemporaries see Veracini's independence and rapid success as a threat to their economical stability?

Veracini Sonata No. 6 in A Major - Capriccio

Hier klinken wel heel bijzondere invloeden in door, met name het begin heeft bijna iets Iers over zich. Mogelijk is hier de eigenzinnigheid van Varacini te horen.

26/06/2008

Andreas Scholl - Hasse "Artaserse" - Pallido il sole

Johann Adolf Hasse (Bergedorf bij Hamburg, 25 maart 1699 – Venetië, 23 december 1783) was een Duits componist. Als componist wordt hij gerekend tot een van de grootste vertolkers van de Italiaanse Opera seria van de 18e eeuw. Samen met Carl Heinrich Graun maakte hij de opera in Duitsland geliefd. (lees verder bij wikipedia, klik hier)

Missa Cantilena - "Agnus dei, interlude, benedicamus domino"



Agnus Dei is from Matteo da Perugia. Interlude and Benedicamus domino is from another marvellous Anonymous composer.

King's Singers - Madrigal History Tour - Amor Vittorioso

The King's Singers - La la la, je ne l'ose dire

The King's singers - il est bel et bon - Passereau

William Byrd - Ave verum corpus

Jacob Clemens non Papa - "Pastores Quidnam Vidistis", motet

Jacob Clemens non Papa "(c.1510 to 1555) "Frais et gaillart"

Jacob Clemens non Papa "(c.1510 to 1555) "Frais et gaillart"

Ciprian de Rore (1515-1565) "Anchor che co'l partire"

Ciprian de Rore (1515-1565) "Anchor che co'l partire"

Caldara - Sebben Crudele

Although you 're cruel and you torment me, I will still cherish you; I will be faithful until the end.

24/06/2008

H. Purcell - The Fairy Queen "O Let Me Weep" Sylvia McNair

Wat een prachtig lied en zo geweldig  subtiel gezongen; een genot om naar deze stem van Sylvia McNair te luisteren!

Passacaglia from King Arthur - Henry Purcell

17/06/2008

Wie is Jean-Baptiste Lully?

Jean-Baptiste Lully

Oorspronkelijke naam: Giovanni Battista Lulli (omgeving Florence, 28 november 1632 – Parijs, 22 maart 1687) was een in Italië geboren barokke componist en schepper/vormgever van de Franse opera. Het grootste deel van zijn leven werkte hij in dienst van het hof van de Franse koning Lodewijk XIV, van waaruit hij het Franse muziekleven decennia lang domineerde. Zijn werk had een belangrijke invloed op de ontwikkeling van de West-Europese muziek.

Lully was de zoon van een molenaar en had weinig formele opleiding genoten. Hij leerde echter wel dansen, viool- en gitaarspelen en verdiepte zich in de muziek in het algemeen. In maart 1646, toen hij 14 jaar was, werden zijn muzikale talenten ontdekt door de graaf van Guise, die hem meenam naar Parijs, waar hij als manus-van-alles en keukenhulp in dienst kwam van mademoiselle de Montpensier (la Grande Mademoiselle). In ruil voor Italiaanse les stimuleerde zij de jongen verder te werken aan zijn muzikale ontwikkeling onder leiding van de zanger en componist Michel Lambert. Hij studeerde compositie en klavecimbel en mocht als violist meespelen in de huiskapel. Hij was vaak in de gelegenheid het grote hoforkest te horen spelen en bestudeerde de Franse dansmuziek van dichtbij. Het verhaal gaat dat de prinses hem ontsloeg toen zij een in grove taal gesteld gedicht over haarzelf ontdekte. Waar of niet, Lully, had toen al zo'n goed contact met haar neef, de jonge koning Lodewijk XIV opgebouwd, dat hij in 1652 uit het paleis van de prinses kon vertrekken toen zij uit Parijs was verbannen na de nederlaag van La Fronde waarvan zij deel uitmaakte. Daarna studeerde Lully muziektheorie onder Métra en kwam hij in het koninklijke hoforkest. In februari 1653 danste hij samen met de koning in het ballet Ballet de la nuit (waarin de vorst de rol van zonnekoning speelde, die hem zijn fameuze bijnaam bezorgde). Enkele weken later werd hij door de koning aangesteld als hofcomponist voor instrumentale muziek. Hij zou zijn verdere leven tot beider tevredenheid in dienst van zijn mecenas blijven. 

Lully kwam aan zijn einde door een merkwaardig incident. Het gebeurde tijdens het dirigeren van een Te Deum, op 8 januari 1687, dat juist werd uitgevoerd om de genezing van de koning na een ziekte te vieren. Lully gebruikte bij het dirigeren een lange stok waarmee hij op de grond sloeg. Per ongeluk sloeg hij op zijn voet, zo hard dat hij zich ernstig verwondde. Volgens de overlevering kreeg hij door de infectie gangreen. Dit resulteerde in zijn dood op 22 maart van dat jaar. Op zijn sterfbed schreef hij Bisogna morire, peccatore. Zijn drie zonen werden ook musicus en componist: Louis (1664-1734), Jean-Baptiste jr. (1655-1743) en Jean-Louis (1667-1688).

Lees het gehele artikel op wikipedia

Renaissance polyfonie

Renaissance polyfonie

De Renaissance omvat de eeuwen tussen 1400 en 1600. In deze periode overheerste de meerstemmige muziek. Meerstemmige muziek wordt 'Polyfoon' genoemd (net als de ringtones…). Deze muziek werd niet alleen voor in de kerk geschreven, maar ook voor het hof of voor het (welgestelde) volk. In de loop van de vijftiende eeuw kon muziek gedrukt worden en plotseling konden veel meer mensen van deze muziek genieten.

De muziek tussen 1400 en 1600 klonk heel anders dan in de Middeleeuwen (500-1400). Een overgangsfiguur is Guillaume Dufay, die bijvoorbeeld grillige motetten schreef. In plaats van abstracte muziekstructuren ging het er langzamerhand echter steeds meer om, de betekenis van de gezongen tekst uit te drukken in de muziek. De vorm van stukken werd dan ook een stuk vrijer. De componist Josquin des Prez (c.1440-c.1521) is een van de grootste 'tekstzetters' uit deze tijd. (Lees meer op deze pagina)

12/06/2008

Bach Cantata BWV 21 - Review

Barbara Schlick, soprano
Kai Wessel, alto
Christoph Prégardien, tenor
Klaus Mertens, bass
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir/Ton Koopman
Erato 0630-12598-2 3CDs

Cantata 21 "Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis" ("I had much grief"): One of the great ones. The work falls into two large parts, reflecting the two main moods of most of the texts: the soul is overcome with sorrow, which transforms into joy because of God's grace. The opening sinfonia, slow and solemn, features a wonderfully expressive oboe soloist, (I assume) Marcel Ponseele, who puts out a long, intense line. The following chorus – ("I had much grief in my heart; but Your consolations restore my soul") begins with one of Bach's expressive wallops – three broken repetitions of the word "I" ("ich"), as if the persona were so afflicted with sorrows he had trouble even telling them. As one can see, the text splits neatly into two parts, and Bach creates two sections: the first, continuing the mood of the sinfonia; the second, much quicker. Both pivot about the word "aber" ("but"). Bach, in yet another brilliant stroke, brings all movement to a halt by having the full choir declaim each syllable on a long note. In both cases, Koopman lets the brilliant word-painting go by. The moments are matter-of-fact. The pivot is an emotional pivot as well, which we can see in the text, but Koopman's choir continues rather po'-faced in the second part, with the same emotional affect as the first.

A heartbreaking soprano aria follows – "Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not" ("Sighs, tears, care, distress"), in which the soloist tells of sickness of soul. The oboe soloist here surpasses even his work in the Sinfonia. I was about to write that Barbara Schlick, the soprano, delivers a lesson to other singers, but that sounds way too dry. Her voice isn't a large one or particularly pretty, but the beauty she gets lies outside the reach of most vocalists. It reminds me a bit of Elly Ameling. She has an extremely flexible line: she seems capable of anything, any dynamic, any degree of emphasis at any moment without losing the forward impulse of the music. The dissonances in her part (for the technically-minded, the suspensions) receive different amounts of emphases, and the meaning of the text at that moment determines the stress. Her handling of ornament is both various and alive to the moment. She lets the listener know that ornament isn't simply a vocal hoop for the singer to jump through, but an expressive device. 
(read more)

09/06/2008

Meto culmos, lego spicas - Jan Dismas Zelenka

15 juni te Zwolle, uitvoering BWV 21

Nieuwsbrief Cantatediensten Zwolle
1 juni 2008

Cantate 'Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis' (BWV 21)
Uitvoering in Zwolle, St. Michaelskerk op 15 juni 2008

Naar aanleiding van het horen van deze vroege cantate komt Maarten 't Hart tot de verzuchting dat er aan Johann Sebastian Bach een groot operacomponist verloren is gegaan. 'Waarom zou hij, terwijl hij graag naar opera's van Hasse ging luisteren, nooit de aanvechting hebben gehad om een opera te componeren? Of had men hem gewoon een opdracht moeten geven?'
Die opdracht is Bach nooit gegeven, ook ongevraagd werd het hem zelf contractueel verboden zich eraan te bezondigen. Meer dan in andere cantates is wel aan te wijzen dat Bach muzikaal contact heeft met de muziek van zijn grootste tijdgenoten op dat gebied. Geven enkele melodische details niet aan dat de 'Concertmeister' uit Weimar Händels opera 'Almira' kende? Blijkt uit het slotkoor 'Das Lamm, das erwürget ist' met zijn feestelijke trompetpartij niet dat Bach keek naar techniek die Händel toepaste? Of is het andersom en grijpt Händel's Messias op de muziek van dit koorstuk?
Vorm en techniek zijn tijdgebonden; de componisten van die tijd maakten daarvan gebruik, misschien wel zonder direct leentjebuur bij elkaar te spelen.
De eerste volledig uitvoering van dit werk vindt plaats in Weimar, het is 1714, Bach is nog maar kort als concertmeester aangesteld. De dichtstukken zijn waarschijnlijk van Salomo Franck. De bijbelse teksten refereren aan die van de derde zondag na Drievuldigheid. Overigens heeft Bach aangegeven dat deze cantate de bestemming in 'ogni tempo' (voor elk moment in het kerkelijk jaar) heeft.

Orkest en solisten
Koor en orkest staan onder leiding van Toon Hagen.
sopraan
Wineke van Lammeren
tenor
Govert Valkenburg
bas
Bert van de Wetering

01/06/2008

MILLE REGRETS - JOSQUIN

Handschrift van Bach


J. S. Bach: Dedikationsexemplar der Brandenburgischen Konzerte
Ausschnitt aus dem 1. Konzert (Trio-Teil des Menuetts)
Signatur: Mus. AmB 78

Agenda: 8 juni 2008 Uitvoering Bachcantate BWV 106 'Gottes Zeit ist die Allerbeste Zeit'


Op 8 juni a.s. Bachcantate BWV 106 'Gottes Zeit ist die Allerbeste Zeit'
CANTATEDIENST IN DE BURGWALKERK IN KAMPEN
Aanvang van de diensten is altijd 17.00 u
Uitvoerenden : Bachkoor + orkest Kampen
o.l.v. Bob Vaalburg.
Orgel/continuo : Theo v. Dijk
8 juni m.m.v. ds Carel ter Linden (Leidschendam)

History: Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God's time is the very best time) BWV 106 also known as "Actus tragicus" is a sacred cantata composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is primarily intended to be played at funerals. The work is one the earliest Bach Cantatas. It was probably composed in 1708 in Mühlhausen possibly as a cantata for the funeral of Mayor Strecker.
Text: The text consists of different Bible verses of the Old and New Testament, as well as individual verses of old church songs of Martin Luther and Adam Reusner, which refer all together to the finiteness and dying. There are two disntict parts to the cantata: the view of the Old Testament on death shown in the first part is confronted by the second part, representing the view of the New Testament; the separation of the old by the new determines the symmetrical structure of the cantata.
Voices and Instrumentation: Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass; 2 alto recorders, 2 viola da gambas and basso continuo.
Characteristics: Bach was probably only 22 years old when he composed the opening sonatina, in which two obbligato alto recorders mournfully echo each other over a sonorous background of viola da gambas and continuo. The cantata ranks among his most important works. Inspired directly by its biblical text, it exhibits a great depth and intensity. Alfred Dürr[1] called the cantata "a work of genius such as even great masters seldom achieve ... The Actus Tragicus belongs to the great musical literature of the world".
link

Agenda: Bachcantate 'Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis' BWV 21 op 15 juni a.s. te Zwolle


Aankondiging Bachcantate 15 juni 2008 OLV-Kerk (Peperbus) te Zwolle


Naar aanleiding van het horen van deze vroege cantate komt Maarten 't Hart tot de verzuchting dat er aan Johann Sebastian Bach een groot operacomponist verloren is gegaan. 'Waarom zou hij, terwijl hij graag naar opera's van Hasse ging luisteren, nooit de aanvechting hebben gehad om een opera te componeren? Of had men hem gewoon een opdracht moeten geven?'
Die opdracht is Bach nooit gegeven, ook ongevraagd werd het hem zelf contractueel verboden zich eraan te bezondigen. Meer dan in andere cantates is wel aan te wijzen dat Bach muzikaal contact heeft met de muziek van zijn grootste tijdgenoten op dat gebied. Geven enkele melodische details niet aan dat de 'Concertmeister' uit Weimar Händels opera 'Almira' kende? Blijkt uit het slotkoor 'Das Lamm, das erwürget ist' met zijn feestelijke trompetpartij niet dat Bach keek naar techniek die Händel toepaste? Of is het andersom en grijpt Händel's Messias op de muziek van dit koorstuk?
Vorm en techniek zijn tijdgebonden; de componisten van die tijd maakten daarvan gebruik, misschien wel zonder direct leentjebuur bij elkaar te spelen.

De eerste volledig uitvoering van dit werk vindt plaats in Weimar, het is 1714, Bach is nog maar kort als concertmeester aangesteld. De dichtstukken zijn waarschijnlijk van Salomo Franck. De bijbelse teksten refereren aan die van de derde zondag na Drievuldigheid. Overigens heeft Bach aangegeven dat deze cantate de bestemming in 'ogni tempo' (voor elk moment in het kerkelijk jaar) heeft.
De cantate wijkt af van andere werken uit dat jaar. Het is een tweedelige cantate en ze vormt een groot contrast met alle andere cantates die Bach heeft geschreven, zowel door vorm als karakter. Met een lengte van zo'n 45 minuten neemt BWV 21 bijna tweemaal zoveel tijd in beslag als gewoonlijk het geval is; zij is opgedeeld in twee delen, in de dienst onderbroken door de preek.

Deel I
[1] Sinfonia
[2] Koor: 'Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis in meinem Herzen'
[3] Aria (sopraan): 'Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, Not'
[4] Recitatief (tenor): ' Wie hast du dich, mein Gott, In meiner Not'
[5] Aria (tenor): ' Bäche von gesalznen Zähren, Fluten rauschen stets einher'
[6] Koor: 'Was betrübst du dich, meine Seele'
Deel II
[7] Recitatief (sopraan & bas): 'Ach Jesu, meine Ruh'
[8] Aria/Duet (sopraan, bas): 'Komm, mein Jesu, und erquicke'
[9] Koor: 'Sei nun wieder zufrieden, meine Seele'
[10] Aria (tenor): 'Erfreue dich, Seele, erfreue dich, Herze'
[11] Koor: 'Das Lamm, das erwürget ist'

Met name in het eerste deel beschrijven tekst en muziek de pijn die wordt gevoeld in de ziel van het verloren schaap. De zondaar bejammert zijn lot met een tot driemaal toe aangeheven 'Ich, Ich, Ich', in de vorm waar Bach op zijn best is: de fuga. Het hierna volgende deel, sneller in tempo, houdt de stemming van pijn en treurnis vast. Dan volgt een korte sopraanaria met mooi melodisch, maar toch ook treurig materiaal. De motieven voor de tenoraria ontleent Bach dan aan het beeld van een ‘onophoudelijke tranenvloed’, dat overgaat in storm en golven die wild tekeergaan in een snel ‘allegro'. Een koraal beëindigt dit eerste deel van de cantate.

In het liefdesduet tussen Jezus (de bas) en de ziel (sopraan) van het tweede deel duet weerklinkt de omslag van berusting naar een enigszins opgewekt vertrouwen in God dat het verdere verloop van de cantate domineert. Het krachtige slotkoor — met trompetpartij — verbreedt het perspectief van de individuele ervaring naar het gevoel dat we er gelukkig niet alleen voor staan.

De tekst van de cantate vind je op www.bach-cantates.com, een Nederlandse vertaling is mij niet bekend. Er is wel informatie over verschillende opnamen van het werk.

De cantate wordt integraal uitgevoerd, in het kader van deze cantatedienst; liturg is Pastoor Jozef Essing. Bijzonder is de locatie; voor de eerste maal zijn we te gast in de Onze Lieve Vrouwe Basiliek.

Informatie over de uitvoering van de cantate van 15 juni 2008:

J. S. Bach, Cantate 'Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis' (BWV 21)
Koor en orkest staan onder leiding van Toon Hagen.
Solisten zijn:
Wineke van Lammeren (sopraan)
Govert Valkenburg (tenor)
Bert van de Wetering (bas)

Robert de Visée : Tombeau pour Mesdemoiselles De Visée

Andrea Damiani plays Robert De Visée Sarabande

19/05/2008

18/05/2008

Emma Kirkby - "Foy porter", Guillaume de Machaut

Guillaume de Machaut - 14th century

Guillaume de Machaut
c. 1300-1377

Guillaume de Machaut was a French poet and the most accomplished and versatile composer of the 14th century. A member of the household of King John of Bohemia from 1323, Machaut later became a canon of Reims, where he resided from 1340 until his death. As a young man he accompanied the king on military expeditions and developed a distinct fondness for falconry, horseback riding, and adventure. The richness and diversity of his experiences served him in good stead when he wrote his numerous and expansive collections of poetry, many of which were graced with musical compositions. His later patrons included the king's daughter, Bonne of Luxembourg, Charles of Navarre, and King Charles V of France. Several of the richly illuminated manuscripts of his works were prepared under his close supervision for the benefit of noble and royal protectors.
Machaut's short, gemlike lyrics helped establish the rondeaux, ballade, and virelai, poetic forms that prevailed for more than a century. Nearly all the virelais he set to music are monophonic (set to a single line of melody). His graceful polyphonic (multivoice) ballades and rondeaux also set European secular song style for the next century: a high, sung melody accompanied by two lower instrumental parts. Of his 23 motets, 6 are to liturgical Latin texts and 17 to secular French texts. They are in three parts, with complex rhythmic and interwoven melody textures. Structurally, they are isorhythmic, or based on long underlying melodic and rhythmic cycles. His four-part Messe de Notre Dame is the earliest known polyphonic setting of the mass by a single composer. Also isorhythmic, it is monumental and austere, with driving rhythms and clashing dissonances. His musical works include 19 lais, 4 of which are polyphonic; 42 ballades ranging from one to four voices; 21 rondeaux; and 33 virelais.
Link

17/05/2008

Purcell - O Solitude - Alfred Deller

Philosophy, Music and Emotion

Wishlist: Philosophy, Music and Emotion - Geoffrey Madell

Philosophy, Music and Emotion explores two contentious issues in contemporary philosophy: the nature of music's power to express emotion, and the nature of emotion itself. It shows how closely the two are related and provides a radically new account of what it means to say that music "expresses emotion." Geoffrey Madell maintains that most current accounts of musical expressiveness are fundamentally misguided. He attributes this fact to the influence of a famous argument of the nineteenth-century critic Hanslick, and also to the dominant "cognitivist" approach to the nature of emotion, which sees the essence of emotion to be the entertaining of evaluative judgments and beliefs. This book argues that the cognitivist account of the nature of emotion is false and should be replaced with a conception of emotions as states of feeling. Central to this bold analysis is a new account of two closely connected mental states, desire and pleasure, and their role in human motivation. About the Author: Geoffrey Madell is Honorary Faculty Fellow in the department of philosophy at the University of Edinburgh.

16/05/2008

Sposa son disprezzata - Cecilia Bartoli - Vivaldi

Vivaldi - the red heared priest



Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678 – July 28, 1741),[1] nicknamed il Prete Rosso ("The Red Priest"), was a Venetian priest and Baroque music composer, as well as a famous virtuoso violinist; he was born and raised in the Republic of Venice. The Four Seasons, a series of four violin concerti, is his best-known work and a highly popular Baroque piece. Read more...


Vivaldi - de roodharige priester

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 maart 1678 – 27 juli 1741), bijgenaamd Il Prete Rosso (de rode priester) was een Italiaanse violist, priester en componist.
Hij werd geboren in Venetië. Zijn vader, een kapper, hielp hem in zijn carrière in de muziek en meldde hem aan bij de Cappella di San Marco, waar vader Vivaldi zelf een vooraanstaand violist was (en door sommigen zelfs een virtuoos genoemd werd).

In 1703 werd Vivaldi priester. Hij kreeg al snel de bijnaam Il Prete Rosso ("de rode priester"), vermoedelijk vanwege zijn rode haar. Vanaf 1704 hoefde hij niet meer deel te nemen aan de heilige mis in verband met zijn slechte gezondheid: hij leed aan astma. Vivaldi werd vioolleraar in een meisjesweeshuis in Venetië, het Pio Ospedale della Pietà. De musicerende wezen stegen snel in aanzien, ook in het buitenland. Voor hen schreef Vivaldi de meeste van zijn concerten, cantates en gewijde muziek. In 1705 werd de eerste verzameling (raccolta) van zijn werk gepubliceerd en er zouden er nog vele volgen. Als hij niet op één van zijn vele reizen was, vervulde Vivaldi verschillende taken in het weeshuis. In 1713 kreeg hij de verantwoordelijkheid voor alle muzikale activiteiten in het instituut. Lees meer...

Listen to music from Vivaldi: The Four Seasons

14/05/2008

Ultima mei sospiri - Verdelot (The King's Singers)

First great madrigalist

The first great madrigalist is Philippe Verdelot, a French composer. A look at his production shows a wide spectrum of literary interests and a remarkable ability to give musical form to the structure as well as the content of a great variety of poems. Verdelot's style balances homophonic with imitative textures, rarely using word-painting.
The first book of madrigals labeled as such was the Madrigali de diversi musici: libro primo de la Serena of Philippe Verdelot, published in 1530 in Rome. Verdelot, had written the pieces in the late 1520s, while he lived in Florence. He included music by both Sebastiano and Costanzo Festa, as well as Maistre Jhan of Ferrara, in addition to his own music. In 1533 and 1534 he published two books of four voice madrigals in Venice; these were to become extremely popular, and indeed they were, in their 1540 reprint, one of the most widely printed and distributed music books of the first half of the 16th century. They sold so well that Adrian Willaert made arrangements of some of these works for single voice and lute in 1536. Verdelot published madrigals for five and six voices as well, with the collection for six voices appearing in 1541. Philippe Verdelot was associated at the Medici Court.

Charpentier: Magnificat for 3 Voices

13/05/2008

Baroque Music - Wikipedia

Baroque music describes an era and a set of styles of European classical music which were in widespread use between approximately 1600 and 1750. This era is said to begin in music after the Renaissance and was followed by the Classical music era. The original meaning of "baroque" is "irregular pearl", a strikingly fitting characterization of the architecture of this period; later, the name came to be applied also to its music. Baroque music forms a major portion of the classical music canon, being widely studied, performed, and listened to. It is associated with composers such as Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel, and Johann Sebastian Bach. The baroque period saw the development of diatonic tonality. During the period composers and performers used more elaborate musical ornamentation; made changes in musical notation, and developed new instrumental playing techniques. Baroque music expanded the size, range and complexity of instrumental performance, and also established opera as a musical genre. Many musical terms and concepts from this era are still in use today. Read more

12/05/2008

The oldest complete piece of music in history!

Joodse Barok muziek


Muziek tussen twee culturen, joodse barokmuziek in katholiek Italië
Muziek tussen twee culturen: de Italiaanse operastijl met Hebreeuwse teksten. Een klinkend bewijs van iets bijzonders van 275 jaar geleden. “Dio, Clemenza e Rigore” (Hoshana Rabbah in Casale Monferrato 1733) Dit werk is een bijna uur durende ceremonie voor Hoshana Rabbah, de zevende dag van Soekot (Loofhuttenfeest) en is geschreven voor het jaar 1733 in Casale Monferrato. Het werk bestaat uit een paar liturgische liederen en een uitgebreide cantate quasi oratorium, waarin Dio (God), Clemenza (verdediger) en Rigore (aanklager) met elkaar in discussie gaan. Libretto is van S.H. Jarach, de muziek is in typische Italiaanse opera stijl; waarschijnlijk hebben meerdere componisten eraan meegewerkt, maar in ieder geval is de ouverture van Antonio Brioschi. Het manuscript uit Mantua ligt nu in de nationale bibliotheek in Moskou. Het werk geeft een goed beeld van cultureel leven van de Joodse gemeenschappen in Italië in de 17e/18e eeuw, waarbij gezocht werd naar mengvormen van traditionele liturgische gezangen met de muzikale mode van die tijd. In die zin is het van muziekwetenschappelijk en cultuurhistorisch belang. De gezongen taal is Hebreeuws. Het werk is vrijwel nooit uitgevoerd en niet opgenomen. 
Vrijdag 27 juni 2008: Leiden, symposium over Joodse Barokmuziek met concert i.s.m. Universiteit.
Bezetting: 3 zangers, strijkers, hobo, fagot, clavecimbel.
Hanna Kopra – mezzo-sopraan; Immo Schröder – tenor; Ken Gould – bariton
Apollo Ensemble o.l.v. David Rabinovich.

11/05/2008

Festival Europa Cantat 2009 in the Netherlands




Do you love singing?
If so, do join us in Utrecht in the summer of 2009 for the international festival for amateur singers. The Europa Cantat festival takes place every three years, and next time it's in Utrecht, the Netherlands! From 17 to 26 July 2009 you and your choir or ensemble, or just you on your own, can take part in ateliers, meet people from all sorts of countries, enjoy singing with topconductors and listening to music: classical music, vocal jazz, showchoir, opera and musical. More than 3000 singers are expected to attend. Do make sure you're one of them!

Repertoire will include the following:
- oratoria
- a daily Bach cantata
- early Music from The Netherlands including Sweelinck
- polychoral music from Italy by Gabrieli and Marenzio
- latinamerican choral music

Hou je van zingen?
Kom dan naar hét internationale festival voor amateurzangers, in de zomer van 2009 in Utrecht. Het festival van EUROPA CANTAT XVll vindt één keer in de drie jaar plaats, en de komende keer is dat in Utrecht!
Van 17 t/m 26 juli 2009 kun je met je koor, ensemble of individueel meedoen aan uitdagende en inspirerende ateliers, mensen van allerlei nationaliteiten ontmoeten en genieten van samen zingen onder leiding van grote dirigenten, en luisteren naar klassieke muziek, vocal jazz, showchoir, opera en musical. Er worden ruim 3000 deelnemers verwacht. Zorg dat je erbij bent!
Repertoire o.a.:
- oratoria
- elke dag een Bachcantate
- oude muziek uit de Nederlanden, met o.a. Sweelinck
- meerkorige muziek uit Italië van Gabrieli en Marenzio
- latijnsamerikaanse koormuziek
Link

Vienna, melting pot of Baroque

Vienna was at the beginning of the 18th century capital of a powerful empire, a city where lines and influences from complete Europe crossed each other. The imperial court gave status and power to that process, but could not without the creativity of brio from particularly Italy and Bohemia. The style was characterised by strict counterpoint versus polished emotion. Key characters in the Viennese music society were Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) and Johann Joseph Fux (1660-1741). Both were operative to the Viennese court and had their training enjoyed at Corelli. Fux were the brilliant counterpoint. He understood if no other one art romped a musical of creating space by votes which imitated each other according to the strict rules of the counterpoint and for each other gone, a type musical maths. Its merit is especially that he has made the art of polyphony, arranged in the Renaissance large made by Palestrina, for the baroque. Caldara's largest strength lay in the emotion. He was a master in writing refined, polished lines which perfectly bring the text and the affects in this to expression.
Caldara and Fux were the big examples for number tsjechen such as
František Ignác Antonín Tůma (1704-1774). Tůma had been since 1722 in Vienna active. Probably he has had lesson of the large counterpoint Fux. But in Vienna of 1750 a new wind in music started blow. More and more music grew into the galante style. That style got later its peak in the music of Mozart and Haydn. Interestingly in the music of Tůma is the galante style announcing late-baroque. Listen to: Tůma:  Stabat Mater from vocal ensemble Trajecti Voces, Utrecht. Conductor Dirkjan Horringa

Wenen, de smeltkroes van de Barok
Wenen was aan het begin van de 18e eeuw hoofdstad van een machtig imperium, een stad waar lijnen en invloeden uit heel Europa elkaar kruisten. Het keizerlijke hof gaf dat proces status en macht, maar kon niet zonder de creativiteit van talenten uit met name Italië en Bohemen. De stijl werd gekenmerkt door streng contrapunt versus gepolijste emotie. Sleutelfiguren in het Weense muziekleven waren Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) en Johann Joseph Fux (1660-1741). Beiden waren werkzaam aan het Weense hof en hadden hun opleiding genoten bij Corelli. Fux was de geniale contrapuntist. Hij verstond als geen ander de kunst om een muzikale ruimte te scheppen door stemmen die volgens de strenge regels van het contrapunt elkaar imiteerden en om elkaar heen dartelden, een soort muzikale wiskunde. Zijn verdienste is vooral dat hij de kunst van de polyfonie, in de Renaissance groot gemaakt door Palestrina, geschikt heeft gemaakt voor de barok. Caldara’s grootste kracht lag in de emotie. Hij was een meester in het schrijven van verfijnde, gepolijste lijnen die de tekst en de affecten daarin perfect tot uitdrukking brengen. Caldara en Fux waren dé grote voorbeelden voor getalenteerde Tsjechen zoals František Ignác Antonín Tůma (1704-1774). Tůma is auteur van kerkmuziek, waaronder 65 missen, 20 litanieën, veel vespers, motetten en vijf Stabat Maters. Heel veel van zijn muziek is nog onuitgegeven. Tůma was sinds 1722 in Wenen actief. Waarschijnlijk heeft hij er les gehad van de grote contrapuntist Fux, zoveel is wel te zien aan zijn doorwrochte schrijfstijl. Maar in het Wenen van 1750 begon een nieuwe wind in de muziek te waaien. Meer en meer kwam de galante stijl in de mode. Die stijl kreeg later zijn hoogtepunt in de muziek van Mozart en Haydn. Interessant in de muziek van Tůma is de subtiele manier waarop de galante stijl zich aankondigt in een overwegend laat-barokke stijl.
Beluistert u het vocaal ensemble Trajecti Voces, projectkoor van dirigent Dirkjan Horringa: Tůma - muziekfragment:  Stabat Mater.  

10/05/2008

Nieuw Ensemble & mijn kennismaking met de 'Neun Deutsche Arien' van G.F.Händel



Ensembl’Elaboratio bestaat uit blokfluitiste Anne-marije de Haas en klavecinist Marco Hup. Het repertoire omvat talrijke composities uit met name de renaissance en de barok.
Het uit Zwolle afkomstige Ensembl’Elaboratio voerde zaterdag 29 maart de ‘Neun Deutsche Arien’ van G.F.Händel uit in de Open Kring in Stadshagen te Zwolle. Deze negen bijzondere aria’s worden omlijst door drie sonates van de Italiaanse componist P.A. Locatelli. De bezetting was zeer intiem en bestond uit zangstem, een solo-instrument en basso-continuo. Tekst en muziek zijn karakteristiek voor het einde van het Barokke tijdperk. Het ensemble was voor deze gelegenheid uitgebreid met mezzosopraan Ineke Vlogtman.
Persbericht en recensie w.reezigt

09/05/2008

The End of Early Music (book)

The End of Early Music 
A Period Performer's History of Music for the Twenty-First Century
Bruce Haynes
ISBN13: 9780195189872
Jun 2007

Its performing traditions lost to time, early music has become the subject of significant controversy across the world of classical music and presents numerous challenges for musicians, composers, and even listening audiences. The studies of instruments and notes on early manuscript pages may help to restore early music to its intended state, yet the real process is interpretive, taking place within performers themselves.
This book is about historical performance practice in its broadest sense. A veteran of the early music movement and an experienced performer himself, Bruce Haynes begins by identifying the most common performing styles, using and comparing sound recordings from the past. To help musicians distinguish between Period and Romantic styles, he expertly engages with the most current and controversial topics in the field in defining the differences between them. Throughout, he presents many compelling arguments for using pre-Romantic values as inspiration to re-examine and correct Romantic assumptions about performance.
This book also offers a fresh perspective on a broad spectrum of questions about music in history. From Werktreue and the Urtext imperative to formality in ritualized performances and authenticity as an industry standard, Haynes offers straightforward explanations of the most significant questions in the field. Two chapters compare Baroque expression through rhetoric and gestural phrasing to the Romantic concept of autobiography in notes. Throughout his fascinating discussions of descriptive and prescriptive musical notation, the Romantic interpretive conductor in early music, and the controversial practice of composing in Period style, Haynes argues that performances are more pleasing and convincing to contemporary performers and listeners not through the attempt to return to the past, but rather by endeavoring to revive as best we can the styles and techniques that originally produced the music.
Part history, part critical reflection on the state of the authenticity movement, The End of Early Music describes a vision of the future that involves improvisation, rhetorical expression, and composition. This stimulating and compelling book will appeal to musicians and non-musicians alike.
Reviews
"'Early Music' (with its off-putting "scare-quotes") is dead; long live early music! Reading the mature reflections of one of the 'Early Music Movement's' important revolutionaries about the panorama of performing styles in today's musical world is both a pleasure and a challenge. Mr. Haynes's breadth and depth of learning and observation is admirable, but more important is his clear-minded yet passionate formulation of an artistic vision of creative musicianship for our time."--Stephen Stubbs, Northwest Center for Early Music Studies
"From one of the brightest lights in the field of baroque music comes yet another indispensable book. Only Haynes, a performer of great sensitivity and dedication to the 'project' of historical performance, only Haynes, a scholar of alacrity and dynamism, only Haynes, who for over thirty years has never stopped interrogating what we are doing when we approach the past in performance, only Haynes could have written a brilliant book for early music in the new millennium. It is thoughtful, iconoclastic, tender, and honest. This is the new Quantz-obligatory reading for everyone who cares about early music."--Kate van Orden, performer on historical instruments and Professor, University of California, Berkeley
"Haynes has made a series of subtle and important points for all listeners, musicians, all artists and potentially all art in fact, very well.... If you have anything but the most casual interest in music before 1800 and its most proper and effective performance, then this readable and well-argued book, which has a great balance of technical and non-technical illustrations for the practicing musician and listener alike, should not be ignored. Thoroughly recommended."--Mark Sealey, Classical Net
About the Author(s):  Recently retired as a performer, Bruce Haynes worked for many years in Holland. He introduced the hautboy into the Dutch music curriculum, teaching at the Royal Conservatory. Currently, he is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Music at the University of Montreal. He has published widely on the history of the oboe and performing pitch standards.
Link

07/05/2008

Textlyric: Misere mei, Deus

Miserere mei, Deus: secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dēlē iniquitatem meam.
Amplius lavā me ab iniquitate mea: et a peccato meo mundā me.
Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognōscō: et peccatum meum contra me est semper.
Tibi soli peccāvī, et malum coram te fēcī: ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincās cum judicaris.
Ecce enim in inquitatibus conceptus sum: et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.
Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti: incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.
Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundābor: lavābis me, et super nivem dēalbābor.
Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam: et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.
Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis: et omnes iniquitates meas dele.
Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.
Ne projicias me a facie tua: et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.
Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui: et spiritu principali confirma me.
Docebo iniquos vias tuas: et impii ad te convertentur.
Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae: et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.
Domine, labia mea aperies: et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.
Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique: holocaustis non delectaberis.
Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus: cor contritum, et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.
Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion: ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem.
Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes, et holocausta: tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

Translation (King James Bible)

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Salisbury Cathedral Miserere Mei Deus

Wikipedia about: 'Miserere mei, Deus' by Gregorio Allegri

Miserere by Gregorio Allegri (also called "Miserere mei, Deus") is a setting of Psalm 51 (50) composed during the reign of Pope Urban VIII, probably during the 1630s, for use in the Sistine Chapel during matins on Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week. It was the last of twelve falsobordone Miserere settings composed and chanted at the service since 1514 and the most popular: at some point, it became forbidden to transcribe the music and it was only allowed to be performed at those particular services, adding to the mystery surrounding it. Writing it down or performing it elsewhere was punishable by excommunication. The setting that escaped from the Vatican is actually a conflation of verses set by Gregorio Allegri around 1638 and Tommaso Bai (1650 - 1718, also spelled "Baj") in 1714.

The Miserere is written for two choirs, one of five and one of four voices. One of the choirs sings a simple version of the original Miserere chant; the other, spatially separated, sings an ornamented "commentary" on this. Many have cited this work as an example of the stile antico or prima pratica. However, its constant use of the dominant seventh chord and its emphasis on polychoral techniques certainly put it out of the range of prima pratica. A more accurate comparison would be to the works of Giovanni Gabrieli.

Although there were a handful of supposed transcriptions in various royal courts in Europe, none of them succeeded in capturing the beauty of the Miserere as performed annually in the Sistine Chapel. According to the popular story (backed up by family letters), the fourteen-year-old Mozart was visiting Rome, when he first heard the piece during the Wednesday service. Later that day, he wrote it down entirely from memory, returning to the Chapel that Friday to make minor corrections. Some time during his travels, he met the British historian Dr Charles Burney, who obtained the piece from him and took it to London, where it was published in 1771. Once published, the ban was lifted and Allegri's Miserere has since become one of the most popular a cappella choral works now performed. The work was also transcribed by Felix Mendelssohn in 1831 and Franz Liszt, and various other 18th and 19th century sources survive.

Mozart was summoned to Rome by the Pope, only instead of excommunicating the boy the Pope showered praises on him for his feat of musical genius.

Burney's edition did not include the ornamentation or "imbellimenti" that made the work famous. The original ornamentations were Renaissance techniques that preceded the composition itself, and it was these techniques that were closely guarded by the Vatican. Few written sources (not even Burney's) showed the ornamentation, and it was this that created the legend of the work's mystery. However, the Roman priest Pietro Alfieri published in 1840 an edition with the intent of preserving the performance practice of the Sistine choir in the Allegri and Bai compositions, including ornamentation.

The piece as it is sung today, with a high treble C, is inauthentic, and is the result of an error in the first edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music of 1880, in an article on ornamentation by the musicologist William Smith Rockstro. In it, he wrote out the first half of the verse twice, but transposed the second half up a fourth (as recorded in Felix Mendelssohn's transription). As a result the bass part leaps from F sharp to C, a progression (known as a tritone) and forbidden by the rules of counterpoint at the time when Allegri was working. Sir Ivor Atkins, then choirmaster of Worcester Cathedral, copied the Rockstro verse from Grove's for his English language edition of 1951, and liked what he heard.

Authentic editions have been produced in the last few years using Alfieri's account of 1840, original Vatican source material and other manuscripts, but most modern listeners know only the garbled 20th century version which remains highly popular with conductors.

The Miserere is one of the most often-recorded examples of late Renaissance music, although it was actually written during the chronological confines of the Baroque era. In this regard it is representative of the music of the Roman School of composers, who were stylistically conservative.

Over the years many visitors to the Vatican during Holy Week have been disappointed if there was not an Allegri Service on their day. The Miserere is regularly performed on Ash Wednesday in English cathedrals.

Arguably the most famous recording of Allegri's Miserere was that made in March 1963 by the all-male Choir of King's College, Cambridge, conducted by Sir David Willcocks, which featured the then-treble Roy Goodman. (This recording of the Miserere was originally part of an LP recording entitled "Evensong for Ash Wednesday"). The Tallis Scholars are an example of a group which uses a female soprano for the high solo.

Miserere Mei Deus - Kings College Chapel Choir

04/05/2008

Purcell - Dido's lament - Anne Sophie von Otter

Claudio Monteverdi - Selva morale et spirituale

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