This seriously prestigious biennial competition showcased an outstanding concert of ‘emerging talent in the world of music.’ Though having just quoted from the informative programme the eight ensembles seemed pretty much ‘emerged’ to my ears.
The first to perform were Trio Altizans (The Netherlands):
Eriko Nagayama violi
Antonio Pellegrino violoncello
Agata Sorotokin fortepiano
Their programme titled Geister Medley opened with the Largo assai ed espressivo from Beethoven’s Piano Trio no. 5 in D major, op. 70 no. 1. The Trio captured the spooky, quite impressionistic tone of the movement. The work is nicknamed the Ghost Trio (a response by Carl Czerny to this eerie middle movement). The performance reminded me how Gothic the music is – creepy bass tremolos in the piano etc. The fragmentary motifs, harmonies that had an instability – quite modern stuff really, but they made a convincing narrative throughout.
From Beethoven to Schubert and the last movement Allegro moderato from the great Piano Trio no. 2 in E flat major, D. 929. I thought the performance was focussed, lively and the knitting together of different themes worked well as did the closing triumphant ending. Not sure of the ‘early music’ label here but enjoyed it none the less.
Ensemble Bastion (Switzerland)
Maruša Brezavšček recorder
Martin Jantzen viola da gamba
Elias Conrad theorbo
Mélanie Flores harpsichord
Now this programme titled Les Goûts Réunis: The United Musical Tastes ‘takes its name from a collection of suites by François Couperin, reflecting the high-Baroque period’s rivalry between the musical centres of Italy and France.’ (programme note)
The programme opened with François Couperins Échos from his Concerts Royaux. I was impressed with the stylish ornamentation and the instinctive engagement between the players. The echoes, or echo effects were charming.
Arcangelo Corelli’s Sonata IV in F major, op. 5 was originally ornament-free until composer Johan Helmich Roman (amongst others) had his say. This was indeed ornament-rich and a joy to listen to.
They closed with Georg Philipp Telemann’s Sonata a Flute Dolce, Dessus de Viole e Basse. This was a real joy to listen to, the slow movement so gently teased out. But it was the clear canonic dialogue throughout which stayed with me.
[Hanse]Pfeyfferey (Germany)
Laura Dümpelmann shawms
Lilli Pätzold cornetto
Alexandra Mikheeva slide trumpet, trombone
Emily Saville trombone
Now who could object to an early music programme titled: Party like it’s 1524. Their programme note didn’t start promisingly: ‘In addition to our unwavering commitment to authentically merge musical practice with associated musicology and theory…’ But perked up with ‘…we draw inspiration from the timeless human need to enjoy good company, food, drink and music.’ Amen to that.
I had never heard of the composer Ludwig Senfl so I did a bit of Google listening. I thought the conservative sacred music was quietly impressive but it was the secular, humanist songs that we were treated to here. These were full of life and the performers radiated energy playing the music. So too the Improvisations. The performances so seductive, so infectious and, in the case of Iasac’s Lala höhö and Zwischen Berg und tiefe Tal genuinely touching.
PS Ludwig Senfl studied with the great Heinrich Isaac and lost a toe in a hunting exercise. Now there’s one for the pub quiz.
Apollo’s Cabinet (UK)
Teresa Wrann recorder
Thomas Pickering harpsichord, traverso, recorder
David Lopez Ibanez violin
Harry Buckoke viola da gamba
Jonatan Bougt theorbo, Baroque guitar
Daniel Watt percussion
This programme was titled Musical Wanderlust: Charles Burney’s European Travels in pursuit of Harmony
Mercifully this concert was far more enjoyable than the turgid description would have had us believe. It was an attractive musical travelogue around pre-Brexit Europe through the eyes, ok the diaries, of Charles Burney. Well, I absolutely loved the whole set. It reminded me a little of Red Priest, who might just have been an influence. This was revisiting Vivaldi, Buxtehude and the holiest of spiritual grails, Bach’s Goldberg Variations from another perspective; a completely bonkers one. Of the four prizes on offer this early music band must surely be a contender for one of them. ‘The most fun-filled, brilliantly whacky prize goes to…’
Rubens Roza (Switzerland)
Aliénor Wolteche medieval fiddles
Matthieu Romanens tenor
Mélina Perlein-Féliers medieval harps
Elizabeth Sommers medieval fiddle, viola d’arco
Asako Ueda medieval lute, Renaissance guitar
A programme titled Warblings of Paradise didn’t seem terribly inviting. Thankfully we had a note of explanation: ‘In Dante’s Paradise, music is the supreme joy of mankind. The pieces we are going to perform have both sacred and secular aspects and will give full rein to the sounds of heavenly instruments; harps, lutes, vielles and voice will alternate and blend to celebrate the harmony of souls.’
The recital opened with Guiraut Riquier’s Aisi com es sobronrada (from Chansonnier Provençal - La Vallière). This is intended to be a ‘declaration of love made to the Virgin.’ And yet…tenor Matthieu Romanens was himself seductively serenaded by Aliénor Wolteche (medieval fiddle) and Mélina Perlein-Féliers (medieval harp) without, as far as I could see, much resistance. Mr Romanens has a lovely rich tenor voice with a particularly resonant lower register, which is rare.
Following Rubens Rosa’s very engaging rustic dance, Estampie, we were back to Hail Mary, full of grace. There was a touching intimacy and a velvety richness in colour. Very enjoyable. As indeed was Robert Morton’s instrumental N’aray je jamais mieux que j’ai, where the introduction of the viola d’arco (Elizabeth Summers) really enriched the tonal palette. Then back to Matthieu Romanens’ tenor voice in a dignified Fortuna desperate (Anonymous). If you closed your eyes his voice sounded more like a baritone than a tenor.
Their recital closed with a foot-tapping, rustic Laudato sia dio (Dindirindin). The call and response, the energy and rhythmic hemiola shifts (think Bernstein’s America) recharged the soul. Maybe.
Pseudonym (Switzerland)
Liane Sadler Baroque traverso
Maya Webne-Behrman violin
Stephen Moran viola da gamba
Gabriel Smallwood harpsichord
Programme titled Broken Colours
The notes describe this theme as: ‘To showcase the wide range of colours and sonic possibilities of this instrumentation, Broken Colours draws on various collections from different composers published throughout the first decades of the seventeenth century. Together they represent a cohesive survey of the prevailing instrumental genres and compositional hallmarks of the time…’
The recital opened with Dario Castello’s Nona Sonata à tre (from Sonate concertate in stil moderno, libro primo, 1621). To be honest I know very little about Dario Castello’s music but what I have heard I liked immensely. As the description ‘moderno’ suggests, his music is progressive, exploring ‘new formal structures and means of expression.’ (programme note). I think this freshness did come across; the performance was tight, stylish and full of energy.
Other Baroque pioneer composers also featured in the recital. I thought the ensemble’s performance of Tarquinio Merula’s Ballo detto Eccardo was extremely expressive and gave Liane Sadler (traverse flute) an opportunity to shine. Which she did. And Biagio Marini’s La Foscarina, Sonata a 3. Con il Tremolo was pretty amazing too. The players really caught the inventive, expressive nature of Marini’s writing, this time giving violinist Maya Webne-Behrman an opportunity to shine. Which she did.
The recital closed with Andrea Falconieri’s rhythmically driven Ciaconna and Pseudonym clearly enjoyed playing it as much as we did listening to it. An infectious, foot-tapping pleasure. What a way to sign off.
Ayres Extemporae (Belgium)
Xenia Gogu Mensenin violin
Víctor García García violoncello piccolo
Teresa Madeira violoncello
Well up to this point I had forgotten that this was a competition, that was until Ayres Extemporae walked onto the stage and opened their recital with an x-rated, blistering account of Heinrich Ignaz Biber’s Sonata for violin and continuo in E minor, C.142. Xenia Gogu Mensenin’s violin playing – technically brilliant, musically utterly hypnotic and completely fearless, immediately demanded attention. To be sure, there was some respite to be had in the beautiful Aria but this couldn’t last and didn’t; Ms Mensenin got her second wind, the violin bursting free of the constraints of the song, regained the narrative of ‘torment’ and headed for the finish line with indecent haste.
This was beyond ‘redemption’, nevertheless this remarkable Trio gave it their best shot with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Erbarme dich from Ich armer Mensch ich Sündenknecht, BWV 55 (arr. for violoncello piccolo, violin and continuo). This wonderful aria is (obviously) from the St Matthew Passion. Erbarme dich (Have mercy) represents Peter’s weeping and distress at having denied knowing Jesus three times. Here the violoncello piccolo ‘sings’ the tenor aria. The performance by Víctor García García was very persuasive: meditative, expressive and genuinely moving.
Whether it was persuasive enough however, was to be found along the ‘path to forgiveness’. Once again, the Trio turned to Bach, this time the Sonata for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord in G major, BWV1027 (arr. for violoncello piccolo, violin and continuo).
In this version the ‘the cello piccolo takes the role of the viola da gamba, and the violin and the cello play respectively the right and left hand of the harpsichord part’ (programme note).
The E minor Andante had a real haunting quality. The violoncello (Teresa Madeira) gracefully weaving through the arpeggiated progressions. The performance was just so moving and soul searching. The final Allegro moderato was a dance, a bourrée and fugal. Thus, giving all three of these outstanding performers the chance to show how well they intuitively understood and communicated this music. A real joy and, to quote Tina Turner, Simply the Best?
Before I typed this review out I thought I knew who the winner might be. I just wished I had behaved like a true, blue-rinsed politician and popped out to place a bet before the coronation.
Friedrichs Nebelmeer Ensemble (Switzerland)
Pablo Gigosos flute
Mei Kamikawa oboe
Claudia Reyes clarinet
Andrés Sanchez horn
Angel Alvarez bassoon
Having lived and breathed contemporary music for most of my adult life, I am not a great fan of the twentieth-century Wind Quintet repertoire (Birtwistle and the tedious Schoenberg works spring to mind, and back out again). But this Baroque repertoire of Franz Danzi, Giuseppe Cambini and Anton Reicha played by the charmingly enthusiastic Friedrichs Nebelmeer Ensemble was just delightful.
We were told to ‘expect some fun after a seven-hour concert’, and we did. The problem is, however, that zippy exchanges, the musical flair in, for example, the Finale: Allegretto of Reicha’s Wind Quintet in E flat major, op. 88 no. 2 can mask the technical brilliance. This closing movement is an energetic rondo and all of the performers embraced the solos on offer. I loved the intimacy of the sound the Ensemble generated.
The Larghetto sostenuto ma con moto from Giuseppe Cambini’s Wind Quintet no. 2 in D minor was so sweetly sung; it’s not often you hear a wind quintet blending as beautifully as this. Again, so intimate but this time with a velvety sensuous colouring.
Their recital actually opened with Franz Danzi’s Allegrettos no’s I & IV from his Wind Quintet in G minor, op. 56 no. 2, a work dedicated to Anton Reicha. Crisp staccato playing, perfect handovers of the musical motifs, lovely clear balance; and yes, it radiated enjoyment.
I do have critical observations and suggestions – not all the performances were uniform, at times not all the balance was quite as democratic as it might have been and there were a few slips. But given the quality of these Young Artists and the fact that they had two days of ‘informal recitals’ with completely different programmes and in the company of Steven Devine; then discretion and humility are surely the order of the day.
But I will say that the programme notes, though informative and indeed often insightful, veered towards the academic, seldom a good thing, and a bit dull.
Not surprisingly the ‘tell us a bit about yourselves and your programme’ bit was a distraction at best. To this end I would suggest drawing from the ‘everyday’ anecdote of Steven Devine himself.
Here Steven Devine took us through a typical York ginnel to the Three Legged Mare pub. There was a folk-blues band playing and he popped in for a pint. Through the window he noticed some members of an ensemble looking in. He bought them a drink and left. When he returned one of the players had joined in.
One can take many things from this lovely account: that this could never, ever happen at a ‘classical’ music concert, that this musical experience belongs to the working class, pop, rock, folk, blues culture, or that the beer in the Three Legged Mare is decidedly better than that on offer at the NCEM. For me, it is about the love and importance of music and music making. And what an enriching experience this is. Bob Dylan and John Adams are both great composers, just different.
Anyway, back to the competition. A panel of experts in the field of Early Music - Bart Demuyt, Philip Hobbs, Elizabeth Kenny, Lionel Meunier and Emily Worthington judged that Ayres Extemporae were the winners of this prestigious ‘York Early Music International Young Artists Competion’. Additional prizes went to: [Hanse]Pfeyfferey (Cambridge Early Music), Ensemble Bastion (EUBO Development Trust) and Apollos Cabinet (Friends of York Early Music Festival).
So, what a way to close this remarkable Festival; with renewal.
Talking of which, none of this could happen without the dedication, professionalism and creativity of Delma Tomlin MBE, Director of the internationally acclaimed National Centre of Early Music (NCEM) and the York Early Music Festival.
Unfortunately I am all out of superlatives, so how about ‘National Treasure’?
Sorry Delma.
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