Arts and Entertainment

February Classical: Baroque Pearls

(Mon 01 February 2010)

Did you know that the word ‘baroque’ originally comes from the Portuguese word barroco, meaning ‘misshapen pearl’? At the time, this was a strikingly fitting characterisation of the architecture of this period. Later, the name came to be applied also to its music, and with it, to a time when 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. This month, we can explore this fascinating period through three musical performances right in The Hague.

We can start our musical journey with an afternoon celebrating a big baroque’s master son. On Sunday 14 February, the international award-winning New Dutch Academy will present its new chamber series in The Hague’s Theater Diligentia, one of the oldest and most beautiful concert halls of the Netherlands. This first afternoon will be a celebration of the genial Bach son WF Bach in his birthday year of 2010, and will also include works by Johann Sebastian Bach and his other sons CPE Bach and JCF Bach. NDA Chamber Soloists perform, featuring Finnish baroque violin virtuoso Aira-Maria Lehtipuu together with Yoshi Kazama playing the Fortepiano, Simon Murphy playing the Viola, Georgia Browne playing the Baroque Flute and Caroline Kang playing the Cello.

The performance of ‘WF Bach – Genius and Virtuoso’ will begin at 14:30 at Theater Diligentia, Lange Voorhout 5, The Hague. Tickets are € 27,50 (uitpas € 22,50) and can be purchased here: www.theater-diligentia.nl

Keeping our focus on the Bach family, on Saturday 20 February, we can watch the Combattimento Consort play the Art of the Fugue, one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s most fascinating works. This masterpiece represents a detailed study of the music theory of his time, with numerous fugues on a single theme.

The Art of the Fugue is both an artwork perfect in form and a piece of music of indescribable beauty. It stands for the perfect balance of mind and heart, of intellect and emotions.

Founded in 1982 by violinist Jan Willem de Vriend, the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam has developed into a close-knit ensemble that specialises in music from 1600-1800, focusing also on a non-standard repertoire.

The performance of these compositions in combination with more familiar works has proven to be refreshing and inspiring to listeners and performers.

The performance of ‘Die Kunst der Fuge (arr. Jan Willem de Vriend)’ will begin at 20:15 at the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), Spui 175, The Hague. Tickets are between € 10 and € 25,50 and can be purchased here: www.philipszaal.nl/uk/programma/voorstelling/1111/combattimento_consort/kunst_der_fuge/

On Friday 26th February, we will also get the chance to experience the rivaling French and Italian Baroque styles presented by the Collegium Musicum. The young baroque orchestra, originally from The Hague and very successful abroad, will play works by Alessandro Scarlatti, Arcangelo Corelli, Jean Baptiste Lully, Jean-Féry Rebel and others. Founded in 2006 by young, talented, energetic musicians, united under the direction of Brazilian/Italian harpsichordist Claudio Ribeiro, the Collegium Musicum is composed by musicians who were drawn to Holland from all over the world in order to perfect themselves with the finest, most respected musicians in Baroque music today.

The performance of ‘Les goûts réunis’ will begin at 20:15 at the Dorpskerk, Kerkplein 2, Voorschoten. Tickets are between € 8 and € 18 and can be purchased here: www.musantica.nl/EN/agenda.php#bestel
Plaatsen € 18,00 pp (cjp en studenten tot 27 jaar € 8,00 aan de zaal)