France Itinéraire Baroque en Périgord, 2024 [3] – Baroque en Cercles: Église Abbatiale Saint-Cybard de Cercles. 2.8.2024. (CC)
Mozart à Quatre Mains: Tini Mathot, Verena Habel (fortepiano)
Mozart – Fantasia in F minor, Okay 608. Andante con variazioni, Okay 501. Sonata in D, Okay 381
Plus, readings (in French) from the letters of Mozart’s youth (1770-1777) by Pierre Florac
Sandwiched between a convention on The Organ within the Center Ages (Catalina Vicens, who we’ll meet within the Itinéraire itself) and an architectural convention, Tini Mathot and Verena Habel introduced Mozart’s piano duet music within the context of readings of Mozart’s letters. It was an efficient technique, given the enthusiastic supply model of Pierre Florac. He’s described as a comic in addition to a director of each theatre and opera.
The letters, reprinted in French within the programme booklet, have been a letter to the Archbishop of Salzburg requesting absence, plus letters to his father (September 1777), to Padre Martini (1776), his sister (1779), plus numerous letters to his mom and to his sister. The wit of Mozart’s letters is well-known, and the location of Mozart’s music inside them labored completely.
There may be clearly a agency musical bond between Tini Mathot and Verena Habel. Habel took Primo for Okay 608, the Fantasia in F minor, initially for mechanical clock. The counterpoint was probably the most profitable side (there was some instability elsewhere). The Andante con variazioni, Okay 501 was a superb efficiency, although, the ostensible simplicity of its theme quickly ceding to a Minore of murkier waters. Habel and Mathot’s harmonic sensitivity was what enabled this efficiency to succeed. The music flowed; at different occasions, it sparkled.
A reversal of Primo and Secondo for the Sonata in D, Okay 381, with Mathot on prime. D main is a vivid key, and the articulation on the opening may have been brighter; elements of the primary motion did have a tendency, successfully, in direction of an opera overture, although. The exposition repeat was noticed, however not significantly easily; higher was the central Andante, filled with cantabile strains, whereas it was the contrasting episodes of the finale that spoke the clearest of Mozart.
Bist du bei mir: Klaus Mertens (bass-baritone), Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra / Ton Koopman (director/harpsichord/organ).
Telemann – Trio Sonata in C minor, TWV 42:c2; Concerto à 4 in G, TWV 43:G6.
Bruhns – Cantata, Mein Herz ist bereit
Vivaldi – Concertos in G, RV 107 and RV 105
Bach/Stölzel – Cantata, Bist du bei mir
Bach – Cantata, Der Friede sei mit dir, BWV 158
The Buxtehude live performance within the morning of August 2 (assessment right here) was one thing of a revelation; however there was one thing of a Rolls Royce of the Baroque World concerning the night’s occasion. The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra deservedly has a world status beneath its founder, Ton Koopman; Klaus Mertens is an interpreter of big distinction. His voice is not in prime form (how may it’s, he’s 75), but it surely stays lovely, and his musicality is past query.
The repertoire, too, as good. It was intelligent to incorporate music by Danish composer Nicolaus (Nikolaus) Bruhns (1685-1697), a pupil of Buxtehude. Fascinating, too, to return to Telemann (recollections of the Telemann 12 months at Itinéraire Baroque got here flooding again. The Trio Sonata in C minor, TWV 42:c2 was the proper opener, the dialogues between recorder and oboe (Reine Marie Verhagen and Antoine Torunczyk) a delight within the opening Largo fantastically expressive, balanced by the actually lovely, open-air Andante third motion. Interspersed was a jaunty Vivace and a closing Allegro of unfailing inspiration. All of us want extra Telemann in our lives.
Bruhns’s sacred cantata Mein Herz ist bereit (My coronary heart is steadfast) options an agile violin half (Catherine Manson on prime type). Bruhns was a famous violinist (his trick, apparently, was to play violin and organ on the similar time), so it’s no shock the violin is options in such a soloistic method within the opening Sinfonia. With a textual content from Psalm 108 of reward and waking up the daybreak, the music is upbeat and important. There are some beautiful moments: an entreaty to ‘get up’ is answered by violin stopping echoing fanfares. Though there’s some air round Mertens’s voice decrease down, his voice stays sturdy and resolute, but able to lightness, too (at that waking at daybreak, ‘Früh will ich aufwachen’). An excellent efficiency of an excellent piece.
Two Vivaldi concertos peppered the live performance. Extra ensemble items, they glow with invention; they’re actually higher classed as Chamber Concertos. Koopman was a superb harpsichordist, Manson excellent each solo and in duet with Verhagen’s recorder in RV105’s first motion, Verhagen fantastically lyrical within the central Largo; the finale provided virtuoso alternatives, enthusiastically taken, for bassoonist Wouter Verschuren. RV 107 (really heard first) holds probably the most amazingly heartfelt Largo at its core. The G minor-ness of its opening motion and finale was good and darkish.
Pretty to listen to the Stölzel Bist du bei mir (from his opera Diomedes), previously Bach’s BWV 508, right here for bass and organ (Mertens and Koopman), and with some beautiful vocal decorations from Mertens. Nevertheless it was the whole cantata, Der Friede sei mit dir (BWV 158). This piece has been recorded by Mertens and Koopman, and a way of depth by that very familiarity pervaded the efficiency. Mertens’s recitatives are excellent: his diction is unparalleled (and the best way the phrasing seems so pure and uninterrupted); the instrumental contributions have been equally superb, significantly from Manson, who options within the aria, ‘Welt, adè’.
Lastly, a palette-cleanser: Telemann’s Quartet in G, TWV 43:G6, its first motion an explosion of pleasure (Manson’s articulation itself a supply of enjoyment), a surprisingly profound Grave and a finale of near-Handelian triumphalism.
As a day unto itself, this was completely balanced; it held a double perform, although, as a day-long prelude to the Itinéraire itself … to be continued.
Colin Clarke
