Italian passions (PDF) - Academy of Ancient Music

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Hor ch'è tempo di dormire. Dormi dormi figlio e non vagire,. Perchè, tempo ancor verrà. Che vagir bisognerà. Deh ben mio deh cor mio Fa,. Fa la ninna ninna na.
Italian passions Bernarda Fink mezzo-soprano Rodolfo Richter director & violin

25 February 27 February 28 February

Wigmore Hall, London West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Welcome to a packed evening of music by Italian composers, and a very special welcome back to Bernarda Fink. Bernarda last joined us in 2000 to take the starring role in the AAM’s “benchmark” (BBC Music Magazine) recording of Handel’s Rinaldo. You can buy the recording in the foyer tonight, along with other AAM CDs. Tonight we explore the extremes of human emotion and the open-hearted Italian spirit. Merula’s canzonetta ‘Hor ch’è tempo di dormire’ — depicting Mary’s disturbed lullaby for her son, underpinned by an incessant ostinato that lays bare the rawness of her grief — gives way to the tender intertwining of violin and voice in Vivaldi’s knowing ‘Sovvente il sole’, and to his ecstatic and restless ‘L’amoroso’ and ‘L’inquietudine’ concertos. Music by Albinoni, Veracini and Ferrandini completes the programme.

audience. You can listen again via bbc.co.uk/radio3 until 6 March. At the beginning of April we’ll make our firstever recording of Bach’s St John Passion, and we’re asking you — our fellow music-lovers — to help make it happen. We need to raise £5,000, of which over half has already been donated in amounts from £10. We’d be very grateful for any contribution you could make; more details can be found on the flyer inside tonight’s programme or by visiting aam.co.uk/Passion. You can also hear the St John Passion live in concert at the Barbican on Good Friday, 29 March. Turn to the inside back cover of this programme for details of this and all our forthcoming concerts.

Our performance in Cambridge on Wednesday 27 February will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, bringing this fabulous music to an even broader Michael Garvey Chief Executive

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Programme

Texts and translations

FRAnCeSCO MARIA VeRACInI (1690–1768) Overture no.6 in G minor (1716) Allegro Largo Allegro Menuet

MeRuLA ‘Hor ch’è tempo di dormire’

TARQuInIO MeRuLA (1594/5–1665) ‘Hor ch’è tempo di dormire’ (Canzonetta Spirituale Sopra Alla Nanna) (1638)

AnTOnIO VIVALDI (1678–1741) Concerto in e major for violin ‘L’amoroso’ RV271 (c.1728) Allegro Cantabile Allegro ‘Sovvente il sole’ from Andromeda liberata (1726) Concerto in D major for violin ‘L’inquietudine’ RV234 (c.1727) Allegro molto Largo Allegro Interval of 20 minutes Please check that your phone is switched off, especially if you used it during the interval TOMASO GIOVAnnI ALBInOnI (1671–1751) Concerto in C major for two oboes Op.9 no.9 (1722) Allegro Adagio Allegro

soloists Frank de Bruine Lars Henriksson

GIOVAnnI BATTISTA FeRRAnDInI (1710–91) Il pianto di Maria (1735) Tonight’s performance will last approximately 2 hours Would patrons please ensure that mobile phones are switched off. Please stifle coughing as much as possible and ensure that watch alarms and any other devices that may become distracting are switched off.

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Hor ch’è tempo di dormire Dormi dormi figlio e non vagire, Perchè, tempo ancor verrà Che vagir bisognerà. Deh ben mio deh cor mio Fa, Fa la ninna ninna na.

now it is time to slumber, Sleep, my son, and do not cry, For the time will come For weeping. Oh my love, oh my sweet, Sing ninna ninna na.

Chiudi, quei lumi divini Come fan gl’altri bambini, Perchè tosto oscuro velo Priverà di lume il cielo. Deh ben mio …

Close those heavenly eyes, As other children do, For soon the sky Will be veiled in darkness. Oh my love, oh my sweet …

Over prendi questo latte Dalle mie mammelle intatte Perchè ministro crudele Ti prepara aceto e fiele. Deh ben mio …

Suck this milk At my immaculate breast, For the cruel minister Is preparing vinegar and gall for you. Oh my love, oh my sweet …

Amor mio sia questo petto Hor per te morbido letto Pria che rendi ad alta voce L’alma al Padre su la croce. Deh ben mio del …

now sleep, my love, On this soft breast, Before aloud commending your soul To your Father on the cross. Oh my love, oh my sweet …

Posa hor queste membra belle Vezzosette e tenerelle Perchè poi ferri e catene Gli daran acerbe pene. Deh ben mio …

now rest these fine limbs, So charming, so delicate, For irons and chains Will inflict on them harsh pains. Oh my love, oh my sweet …

Queste mani e questi piedi Ch’or con gusto e gaudio vedi Ahimè com’in varij modi Passeran acuti chiodi.

These hands, these feet We now contemplate With pleasure and joy Will, alas, be pierced by sharp nails.

Questa faccia gratiosa Rubiconda hor più di rosa Sputi e schiaffi sporcheranno Con tormento e grand’affano.

This pretty face, Ruddier than a rose, Will be sullied by spit and cuffs, With torture and great suffering.

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Ah con quanto tuo dolore Sola speme del mio core Questo capo e questi crini Passeran acuti spini.

Oh, with what pain, Only hope of my heart, Will this head and this hair Be pierced by sharp thorns.

Ah ch’in questo divin petto Amor mio dolce diletto Vi farà piaga mortale Empia lancia e disleale.

Oh, to think that in this heavenly breast, My sweet, my precious, Treacherous, villainous spears Will cause mortal wounds.

Dormi dunque figliol mio Dormi pur redentor mio Perchè poi con lieto viso Ci vedrem in Paradiso.

So sleep, my son, So sleep, my Saviour, For then, with joyful countenances, We shall meet again in Paradise.

Hor che dorme la mia vita Del mio cor gioia compita Taccia ognun con puro zelo Taccian sin la terra e’l Cielo.

Now you are sleeping, my life, Joy of my heart, Let all be hushed with pure devotion, Let heaven and earth fall silent.

E fra tanto io che farò Il mio ben contemplerò Ne starò col capo chino Sin che dorme il mio Bambino.

And, meanwhile, what shall I do? I shall watch o’er my love And remain with bowed head So long as my child sleeps.

VIVALDI ‘Sovvente il sole’ from Andromeda liberata Sovvente il sole Risplende in cielo Più bello e vago Se oscura nube Già l’offusco.

Often the sun beams in the sky With greater beauty and allure After the dark clouds, Which had dimmed it before, Have cleared.

E il mar tranquillo Quasi senza onda Talor si scorge, Se ria procella Pria lo turbo.

And the calm peaceful sea Is seen with almost no waves After the passing of A terrible storm Which had agitated it before.

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FERRANDINI Il pianto di Maria Giunta l’ora fatal dal ciel prescritta, Che sul Calvario monte, Con tragico apparato, Girne dovea del Creatore il Figlio Videsi anch’Ella in luttuoso ammanto, La sconsolata Madre esser presente Alla tragedia atroce, e starne — ah cieli! — Immobil nel dolor; soltanto in vita Quanto sentir potesse l’immensa acerbità del suo tormento. E, mentre tutta in pianto si sciogliea, Così fra suoi singhiozzi Ella dicea:

The fatal hour appointed by heaven has arrived When on the hill of calvary The son of the creator, tragically arrayed Should turn to us; She too, the disconsolate mother, Is seen present in a cloak of mourning At the hideous tragedy, and standing — Oh heavens! — Motionless in grief, alive only In being able to feel The immense bitterness of her torment; And while bathed in sun she thus Freed herself from her sobbing and said:

“Se d’un Dio fui fatta Madre Per vedere un Dio morire, Mi perdona, Eterno Padre, La Tua grazia è un gran martire.

“If I was made mother of a God In order to see God die Then forgive me, eternal father Your favour is a great torment.

“Ah me infelice! Ahi lassa! Il mio Figlio divino, Da un discepol tradito, Da un altro ancor negato, Dai più fidi fuggito, Da tribunali ingiusti, Come reo condannato, Da fragelli percosso, Trafitto dalle spine, lacerato da chiodi, Crocifisso fra ladri, Dal fiele abbeverato, Dal mondo vilipeso, Dal cielo abbandonato. E ancor non basta Se da barbare squadre il bel suo Nome Fra le bestemmie ancor non deggio udire?

“Ah, unhappy me! Alas, My divine son Betrayed by a disciple, Denied again by another, Shunned by the most faithful Condemned like a criminal By unjust tribunals, Lashed by scourges, Pierced by thorns, Wounded by nails, Crucified between thieves, Given gall to drink, Despised by the world, Abandoned by heaven, that is still not enough If I am to hear his sweet name Among curses from uncouth troops!

Ahimè ch’Egli già esclama ad alta voce. “Angeli non l’udite? Padre l’abbandonasti? Almen Tu, Santo Spirito, Soccorri quella divina fronte In cui desian specchiarsi l’angeliche del Ciel squadre, sì pure Già sparsa di mortal mesto pallore, Sopra il petto l’inchina Ei muore, Ei muore!

“Alas!”, he cried aloud. “Angels, do you not hear him? Father, have you forsaken him? At least you, holy spirit, Aid that divine brow In which the angelic hosts Of heaven sought to be reflected, though, Already spread with sad mortal pallor, He bent it over his breast and died, he died!

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Stephen Rose introduces the Italian passions Sventurati miei sospiri Se quest’alma non scioglierete, Molto poco voi potete Molto lieve è il mio dolore. Atrocissimi martiri Che in umor gli occhi stillate, Poco è il duol se non stemprate Tutto in lagrime anche il core.”

My wretched sighs, If you do not free this soul, You can do very little, My grief is very light. Most fearful torments That my eyes distill in weeping, Small is my grief if you do not Also dissolve my whole heart in tears.”

Sì disse la gran Madre In vedendo spirar l’amato Figlio, Insensata per duol tosto divenne E priva d’ogni senso al suol poi svenne; Ma tosto al chiuder gl’occhi Dell’eterno Fattore, Udissi intorno un fragor di sassi, Un crollar della terra, Un vacillar del suolo, Sì del morto Signor l’agita il duolo. Ha decretati Iddio Tre terremoti universali in terra: Un nel morir del Verbo, Nel suo risorger l’altro, E il terzo alfine — ahi nel pensarlo io tremo, A quel che fia — nel gran Giudizio estremo.

So said the great mother On seeing her beloved son expire; At once she became faint from grief, and, Losing consciousness, swooned to the ground; But as soon as the eyes Of the eternal creator were closed, All around was heard a din of rocks, A quaking of the earth, A shaking of the ground, So much did grief of the dead Lord agitate it. God decreed Three universal earthquakes in the world: One at the death of the word, Another at his resurrection. And the third, finally — ah, I tremble to think of it What will happen then — at the great Last Judgement.

Pari all’ amor immenso Fu immenso il suo patir. E solo allora atroce Gli fu la propria croce Che di sue pene il senso Gli tolse il suo morir.

Equal to his vast love Was his vast suffering. And only at that time Was his own cross dreadful to him, For his death took away The awareness of his pain

Or se per grande orror tremò la terra Morir vedendo un Dio fra tormenti sì rei, Uomo, trema ancor tu che terra sei!

Now if, to our great horror, the earth trembles, Seeing a God die amid the torments of criminals, Tremble, man, you too, who are earth!

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In the seventeenth century, writers believed that the characteristics of a region’s culture were shaped by its climate and soil. They argued that the warm, temperate weather of Italy influenced the temperament of its people, although they disagreed as to the exact effect of the climate. The Jesuit polymath, Athanasius Kircher, wrote in 1650 that Italy had “the most temperate clime”, thus helping composers arrive “at a style completely perfect and temperate that corresponded to their natures, neither a lascivious style with too much dancing, nor a vulgar one with too many low sounds”. Some northern Europeans, by contrast, believed that Italy was the site of immorality and debauched pleasures. The English dramatist John Dennis wrote in 1706 that “the Modern Italians have the very same Sun and Soil which the Ancient Romans had, yet are their Manners directly opposite; their Men are neither Vertuous nor Wise nor Valiant, and they who have reason to know their Women, never trust them out of their sight. ‘Tis impossible to give any reason of so great a Difference between the Ancient Romans and the Modern Italians, but only Luxury, and the Reigning Luxury of Modern Italy is that soft and effeminate Musick which abounds in the Italian Opera”. Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Italian music was often stereotyped as a style shaped by sensual passions. Already in the 1600s Claudio Monteverdi had formulated the notion of a new musical practice (the seconda pratica) in which music was subservient to the words and the emotions they carried. By the 1700s, Italian composers increasingly sought to express emotion and drama through harmonic invention and the virtuosity of the performers. Thus François Raguenet, writing in his Comparison between the French and Italian Musick and Operas (1702), praised Italian musicians for the emotional intensity and passion conveyed in their performances. Raguenet described how Italian string players

expressed “calm and tranquillity”: “The notes descend so low that the soul is swallowed with them in the profound abyss. Every string of the bow is of an infinite length, lingering on a dying sound which decays gradually until at last it absolutely expires”. By contrast, he goes on to write: “If a storm or rage is to be described in a symphony, their notes give us so natural an idea of it that our souls can hardly receive a stronger impression from the reality than they do from the description; everything is so brisk and piercing, so impetuous and affecting, that the imagination, the senses, the soul, and the body itself are all betrayed into a general transport; it is impossible not to be borne down with the rapidity of these movements. A symphony of furies shakes the soul; it undermines and overthrows it in spite of all its care; the artist himself, whilst he is performing it, is seized with an unavoidable agony; he tortures his violin; he racks his body; he is no longer master of himself, but is agitated like one possessed with an

Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741). Engraving (1725) by François Morellon la Cave (1700–55)

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irresistible motion”. This description of a frenzied performer is echoed by an eye-witness description of the violinist Arcangelo Corelli playing: his “eyes will sometimes turn as red as fire, his countenance will be distorted, his eyeballs roll as in an agony, and he gives in so much to what he is doing that he doth not look like the same man”. An impassioned style of violin playing was also cultivated by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), whose 1715 performance in a Venetian theatre was reported as follows by a visiting German: “It is hardly possible that anyone has ever played or will play in such a fashion. He put his fingers but a hair’s breadth from the bridge, so that there was scarcely room for the bow, and he did this on all four strings with fugues and at incredible speed.” Vivaldi’s concertos for solo violin combine his showy and passionate technique as a player with the conventions of dramatic writing as used at the Venetian opera. Many of these concertos were written for the Pietà delle Ospedale, the girls’ orphanage in Venice where Vivaldi worked as a violin teacher. At the orphanage chapel the girls performed concerts from behind a metal grille, in order to protect their modesty, and it is easy to see how Vivaldi’s dramatic style of composition evolved partly to engage and enrapture an audience who could not see the players. Vivaldi’s Concerto in E major for violin ‘L’amoroso’ RV271 begins with a movement in the pastoral rhythms of a siciliano —perhaps indicating the contentment of the eponymous beloved— although the upward leaps suggest a more excited mood. In the brief slow movement, the solo violin spins a simple downward melody in E minor. The concluding Allegro achieves exuberance through its repeated harmonies and dactylic (long – short – short) rhythms. Vivaldi’s showy style of composition is exemplified by his Concerto in D major for

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Francesco Maria Veracini (1690–1768). Engraving by J. June (c.1744–75)

violin ‘L’inquietudine’ RV234. As the title implies, this piece seeks to portray a turbulent emotional state through its tumultuous figuration and unpredictable harmonies. The first movement consists of continuous rollicking figuration for the soloist, playing sometimes alone and sometimes in unison with the other strings. Vivaldi maintains the same chord for several bars at a time, frustrating the expectations of any listeners who may expect a faster harmonic rhythm. The central Largo offers a brief moment of stately splendour via its dotted rhythms and upbeat flourishes reminiscent of the French overture. The finale is a series of harmonic shocks, with the opening figuration in D major followed suddenly by a dissonant chord on E major, and later diversions to other unexpected and foreign keys. Even by the standards of Italian violinists, Francesco Maria Veracini (1690–1768) had a reputation for eccentricity. In 1722 he reportedly jumped from a third-floor window in a fit of madness, and his extreme mobility (he worked

in Italy, Germany, England and also the Czech lands) may reflect his inability to hold down a steady job. Yet he was renowned for his violin technique: according to the English music historian Charles Burney, “the peculiarities of his performance were his bow-hand, his shake, his learned arpeggios, and a tone so loud and clear that it could be distinctly heard through the most numerous band of a church or theatre”. Veracini’s Overture No.6 in G minor has an agitated mood that mirrors the restlessness of the composer’s life. In the opening Allegro, downward cascades of triplet figuration push the music inexorably onwards. The ensuing Largo never manages to relax into a single key, instead always seeking to shift harmonically. The second Allegro movement has touches of the succinct counterpoint practised by Corelli, yet its harmonic trajectory is repeatedly destabilised by a falling chromatic bass. The Overture ends with a minuet where the texture is stripped down to just two independent lines. Unlike the other composers in tonight’s programme, Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni (1671– 1751) was a dilettante. He was born into an affluent Venetian family of papermakers and his inherited wealth meant that he initially did not need to seek a living from music. Later, however, he earned such a reputation as a performer and composer that he neglected the family business and instead relied on music for his livelihood. Albinoni’s Concerto in C major for two oboes Op.9 No.9 inhabits a more straightforward harmonic world than Veracini’s music. The first movement opens with untarnished fanfares for the violins in C major, over which the oboes then add energetic stepwise figures. The slow movement projects a cantabile mood in A minor, with the melody echoing between violins and oboes; and the finale opens with a melodic line that bounces like a ball, before introducing delightful syncopated figures in the strings. Of the vocal music in tonight’s programme, the

earliest piece is ‘Hor ch’è tempo di dormire’ by Tarquinio Merula (1594/5–1665). Merula worked at churches in northern Italian towns such as Cremona and Bergamo, and in 1624 he was briefly organist at the Warsaw court of King Sigismund III of Poland. This sacred canzonetta is the Virgin Mary’s lullaby for her son Jesus, a lullaby disturbed by her frightening premonitions of his death: “Posa hor queste membra belle / Vezzosette e tenerelle / Perchè poi ferri e catene / Gli daran acerbe pene” (“Now rest these fine limbs / So charming, so delicate / For irons and chains / Will inflict on them harsh pains”). The lullaby is built on an ostinato (repeated bass motif ) that rocks between two notes, like the motion of an infant’s cradle; these two notes are a semitone apart, giving a sound that is both ominous and exotic. Mary’s vocal line avoids the arching melodies of most Baroque music, instead breaking into raw ululations, particularly on the cry “Deh ben mio, deh cor mio, Fa fa la, ninna, ninna na” that ends almost each verse. The final two verses (“Hor che dorme la mia vita”) are set as recitative; Jesus is now sleeping, so the rocking ostinato has ceased. By contrast with Merula’s canzonetta, eighteenth-century Italian composers of vocal music made greater use of the orchestra to set the emotional scene or evoke a mood. Vivaldi used striking string writing and harmonic effects to increase the passionate intensity of his arias. His aria ‘Sovvente il sole’ was written for the serenata Andromeda liberata (1726), possibly performed to mark the return of the exiled Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni to Venice. The serenata tells the story of Andromeda, chained to a rock and about to be devoured by a sea-monster, who is rescued by Perseus. The aria ‘Sovvente il sole’ is sung by Perseus as he reflects on his apparently unrequited love for Andromeda. Vivaldi creates a mood of gentle melancholy in the orchestral opening, with a falling melody for solo violin over throbbing repeated bass notes, and one discord resolving achingly into another.

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Academy of Ancient Music: our ethos (As Raguenet noted in his account of Italian operatic arias: “The Italians venture at e’rything that is harsh and out of the way” and use the “boldest cadences and the most irregular dissonances” for expressive effect.) In Il pianto di Maria, by Giovanni Battisti Ferrandini (1710–91), we hear another lament of the Virgin Mary over her dying son. Ferrandini was born and studied in Venice, but he spent most of his professional career north of the Alps, at the Munich court of the Elector of Bavaria. In 1755 he moved to Padua, where sixteen years later he would be visited by Leopold and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on one of their tours of Italy. The lament is in nine movements, with five recitatives interspersed by arias. Throughout the piece, Ferrandini uses persistent dissonance and unexpected pauses to evoke Mary’s emotional torment as she witnesses Christ’s crucifixion. The first and second recitatives are both followed by a cavatina where the voice intones a simple psalm-tone melody, with a dolorous mood created by the drooping string

melodies and the solemn repeated tread of the bass. In the third recitative, Mary voices her heartfelt emotion, appealing to the angels to come to the help of her son. In the third aria, ‘Sventurati miei sospiri’ the sad mood intensifies, with chains of aching dissonance in the strings and a remarkable vocal opening that descends across the singer’s entire register. In the final aria, ‘Pari all’ amor immenso’, the mood lifts slightly to contemplate Jesus’s all-encompassing love; this is a slow triple-time movement, again with prominent falling melodies and discordant harmonies. The final recitative comes to a sudden end with an instrumental depiction of the earthquake upon Christ’s death. Until the 1990s this highly expressive cantata was attributed to George Frideric Handel; it is now believed to have been written by Ferrandini at the age of about 25, a testament to the young composer’s powers of operatic expression. Stephen Rose © 2013 Dr Stephen Rose is Lecturer in Music at Royal Holloway, University of London

The history of the AAM is the history of a revolution. When Christopher Hogwood founded the orchestra almost forty years ago, he rejected the decades-old convention of playing old music in a modern style. Hogwood and the AAM were inspired by original performances and, along with musicians across Europe, were beginning to discover the sound worlds which Bach, Handel and Haydn would have known. These bold initial steps would lead to a radical transformation in musical performance, allowing baroque and classical masterworks to be heard anew from that day to this. So what’s different about the AAM? Partly it’s the instruments, which are originals (or faithful copies of them). The stringed instruments have strings made of animal gut, not steel; the trumpets have no valves; the violins and violas don’t have chin-rests, and the cellists grip their instruments between their legs rather than resting them on the floor. The result is a sound which is bright, immediate and striking. Additionally, the size of the orchestra is often smaller, meaning that every instrument shines through and the original balance of sound is restored; and where possible

we play from first edition scores, stripping away the later additions and annotations of editors and getting back to composers’ initial notes, markings and ideas. There’s also a difference in the way we approach our music making. Composers prized the creativity of musicians, expecting them to make the music come alive and to communicate its thrill to the audience — an ethos we place at the heart of all that we do. Very often we don’t have a conductor, but are directed by one of the musicians, making for spontaneous, sparky and engaged performances. It’s not just about researching the past; it’s about being creative in the ­present. “Transmitting the kick of an energy drink” Financial Times, 2012

In everything we do, we aim to recapture the intimacy, passion and vitality of music when it was first composed. The result? Performances which are full of energy and vibrancy, the superb artistry and musical imagination of our players combined with a deep understanding of the music’s original context.

Wigmore Hall is a no-smoking venue. No recording or photographic equipment may be taken into the auditorium, nor used in any other part of the Hall without the prior written permission of the Hall Management. Wigmore Hall is equipped with a ’Loop’ to help hearing aid users receive clear sound without background noise. Patrons can use the facility by switching their hearing aids over to ’T’.

Wigmore Hall 36 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2BP Director: John Gilhooly, The Wigmore Hall Trust, Registered Charity No.1024838

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In November 2012, counter-tenor Andreas Scholl made his AAM debut singing Bach in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. He returns for a one-off concert at the Barbican in January 2014. Visit aam.co.uk/concerts for details.

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Academy of Ancient Music: our past, present and future The AAM was founded in 1973 by Christopher Hogwood, under whose leadership the orchestra developed the global reputation for inspirational music making which continues today. In its first three decades the AAM performed live to music lovers on every continent except Antarctica, and millions more heard the orchestra through its astonishing catalogue of over 300 CDs: Brit- and GrammyAward-winning recordings of Handel operas, pioneering accounts of the Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn symphonies, and revelatory discs which championed neglected c­ omposers. This artistic excellence was fostered by a stunning roster of guest artists: singers Dame Emma Kirkby, Dame Joan Sutherland and Cecilia Bartoli and pianist Robert Levin were among those performing regularly with the AAM. A range of collaborations continue to inspire the group with new ideas and fresh approaches. The current relationship with the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge recently produced the world’s first live classical cinecast, with Handel’s Messiah streamed live into hundreds of cinemas across the globe; and ongoing work with the likes of soprano Elizabeth Watts, tenor James Gilchrist, and violinist Alina Ibragimova lie at the heart of the AAM’s present-day artistic success.

Rodolfo Richter director & violin

In 2006 Richard Egarr succeeded Hogwood as Music Director, and keeps the trailblazing spirit alive. Already Egarr has directed the first-ever performances in China of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and JS Bach’s complete Brandenburg Concertos. Recent recordings, including a complete cycle of Handel’s instrumental music Opp.1–7 and the world-première recording of music by long-neglected composer Christopher Gibbons, have won MIDEM, Edison and Gramophone Awards. In 2007 Egarr founded the Choir of the AAM, which a year later was awarded the title of ‘Choir of the Year’ at the Beijing Classical ­Elites.

Violin Competition (2001). Since then, he has often been invited as a soloist and director of orchestras throughout the world, including Academia Montis Regalis (Italy), Barokkanerne (Norway), B’Rock (Belgium), Die Kölner Akademie (Germany), Harmonia Universalis (Brazil), St. James Baroque, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Hanover Band and The English Concert. He combines this work with his role as Associate Leader of the Academy of Ancient Music. His recorded output is extensive, and includes JS Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos and Triple Concerto and Handel’s Trio Sonatas Opp.2 & 5 with the AAM. Solo recordings include an album of sonatas by Tartini and Veracini and the first recording of Erlebach’s complete sonatas, as well as Vivaldi’s solo concertos. Future plans include music by Vivaldi and John Cage with B’Rock and an album of JS Bach’s Trio Sonatas.

The future is just as bright. Performances in 2012–13 feature music from Biber to Beethoven, with outstanding artists including Andreas Scholl and Lucy Crowe making their AAM debuts. AAM founder Christopher Hogwood returns to conduct Handel’s late opera Imeneo, and touring plans include concerts throughout Europe and the Far East. The AAM is Associate Ensemble at London’s Barbican Centre and Orchestra-in-Residence at the University of Cambridge. At aam.co.uk... ➤ Follow the Share our Passion blog ➤ Listen to AAM recordings on the AAMplayer

Brazilian-born Rodolfo Richter was trained as a modern violinist with Klaus Wusthoff and Pinchas Zukerman, and has studied composition with Hans Joachim Koellreutter and Pierre Boulez. He studied baroque violin with Monica Huggett at the Royal Academy of Music and has performed with most of Britain’s leading period ensembles. Also in demand as a chamber musician, he has regularly collaborated in concerts and recordings with the Bach Players, Sonnerie, and Hausmusik. Rodolfo was a prize-winner at the prestigious International Early Music Competition for Ensembles in Bruges (2000), and won first prize at the Antonio Vivaldi International

“His technique seems to know no bounds; but more important is his ability to rely on suggestion and the listener’s own imagination when necessary” I n t e r n at i o n a l R e co r d R e v i e w, 2 0 0 8

As a soloist and chamber musician Rodolfo has performed throughout the UK and toured extensively. He has appeared in such prestigious venues as London’s Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Konzerthaus Wien, Sydney’s City Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and the Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall in New York. Rodolfo teaches baroque violin at the Royal College of Music in London.

the AAM in recording sessions for Bach’s Orchestral Suites in February 2013. Tune in to BBC Radio 3 to hear the Suites live from Shrewsbury on Wednesday 6 March.

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Bernarda Fink mezzo-soprano twentieth-century music. She frequently appears with the Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Staatskapelle Dresden and Chamber Orchestra of Europe; with the Royal Concertgebouw, London Philharmonic, Czech Philharmonic, Cleveland and Philadelphia orchestras; and with a number of period-instrument groups. She has worked with conductors and directors including Blomstedt, Bychkov, Davis, Gardiner, Gergiev, Harnoncourt, Jacobs, Jansons, Muti, Norrington, Pinnock, Prêtre, Rattle, Saraste and Welser-Möst. Bernarda Fink has given critically-acclaimed performances in Europe’s major opera houses. She regularly appears in recitals at the Wiener Musikverein and Konzerthaus, Schubertiade Schwarzenberg, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris and Carnegie Hall in New York, amongst many others.

Bernarda Fink, daughter of Slovenian parents, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and received her musical education at the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón where she has since performed frequently. Acclaimed for her musical versatility, Bernarda Fink’s repertoire ranges from baroque to

Violin I Rodolfo Richter* David Wish Colin Scobie Pierre Joubert Violin II Rebecca Livermore William Thorp Joanna Lawrence Marianna Szücs

In February 2006 she was awarded the Austrian Honorary Medal for Art and Science by the Austrian chancellor.

When you bought your tickets for tonight’s concert, you only paid for a third of your seat. How is that? Who paid for the other two thirds? Even if this performance is sold out, ticket income will fall far short of the full cost of getting the AAM on stage to perform. About two thirds of the cost is covered by generous donations from the orchestra’s supporters — indeed this year the AAM must raise £700,000 to support its work. Turn to page 16 to find out how you can help us meet this target and pay for the rest of your seat.

Viola Jane Rogers Heather Birt*

Oboe Frank de Bruine Lars Henriksson

Cello Andrew Skidmore* Imogen Seth-Smith*

Bassoon Sally Jackson

Double Bass Judith Evans

Theorbo Elizabeth Kenny Harpsichord / Organ Alastair Ross

*Sponsored ­chairs Leader Lord and Lady ­Magan Principal cello Dr Christopher and Lady Juliet ­Tadgell Principal flute Christopher and Phillida ­Purvis Sub-­principal viola Sir Nicholas and Lady G ­ oodison Sub-­principal cello Newby Trust ­Ltd

Judith Evans double bass



She appears on numerous recordings, which have received Diapason d’Or and Grammy awards, and starred on the AAM’s “benchmark” (BBC Music Magazine) recording of Handel’s Rinaldo.

Who paid for your seat tonight?

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Academy of Ancient Music

About to leave the Opera de Lyon I was asked by its then conductor, John Eliot Gardiner, to play in a concert given by the English Baroque Soloists at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. I duly tuned down my metal strings, shifted my bow hold and set out from my campsite to a small church in Aix — where I immediately realised I had come home. Having always felt an outsider in large, maledominated sections, sweating over endless tremolo or massive pedal notes, I discovered a musical world where individual creativity was a positive thing and dexterity and articulation could triumph over strength. But most of all that day, in that church in the dusty heat of Aix, it was the sound I remember. A true epiphany.



Board of T­ rustees Richard Bridges Kay Brock LVO DL John Everett Matthew Ferrey James Golob John Grieves Heather Jarman Christopher Purvis CBE (Chairman) John Reeve Terence Sinclair Dr Christopher Tadgell Janet Unwin

Council Richard Bridges * Adam Broadbent Kay Brock LVO DL * Delia Broke * Elizabeth de Friend * Kate Donaghy * John Everett * Matthew Ferrey * Andrew Gairdner MBE * James Golob * John Grieves * Linda Lakhdhir * Annie Norton * Christopher Purvis CBE * John Reeve * Chris Rocker and Alison Wisbeach * Sir Konrad Schiemann Terence Sinclair (chairman) * Madeleine Tattersall * Janet Unwin * *Development board member

Music ­Director Richard ­Egarr

Head of Communications Toby ­Chadd

Emeritus ­Director Christopher Hogwood ­CBE

Communications Assistant Tom McNeill

Chief ­Executive Michael ­Garvey Head of Projects & Administration Samantha Martin Head of Concerts & Artistic Planning Andrew ­Moore Concerts & Administration ­Assistant Ceri Humphries

PR Consultant Rebecca Driver Head of Finance Elaine ­Hendrie Head of Fundraising Simon ­Fairclough Fundraising Manager­ Oriel Williams Fundraising Officer Brittany Wellner-James

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The AAM Society On 17 September 1973, 23 musicians gathered in Richmond to record Arne’s Eight Overtures under the young director Christopher Hogwood. Nobody travelling to the church that morning could have begun to imagine that the Academy of Ancient Music (as Hogwood had christened the group) would be in flourishing health 40 years later. Funded by Decca the AAM began to build a pioneering discography. Over the next 25 years it released more recordings than any other period instrument orchestra in the world, and gave thousands of performances at the finest concert halls on every continent. By the late 1990s, when Hogwood began to plan for the appointment of his successor, the world was changing. The record industry was in decline, and financial pressures facing international concert halls meant that the generous performing fees of old were no longer available. Putting down roots at home in the UK had become a pressing priority. In 2000, founder-members of the AAM Society contributed £10,000 to fund the orchestra’s first London season. It was AAM Society members too who financed the establishment of the orchestra’s residency at Cambridge, and who provided the support needed to appoint Richard Egarr as Hogwood’s successor. Over the last decade, the generosity of an everexpanding group of supporters has transformed the AAM from a private enterprise directed by Hogwood into a major charitable institution

which continues his work beyond his active involvement. The strength of support offered by Society members and other funders has enabled the AAM to develop an ambitious vision for the next stage of its development. It recently established the AAMplify new generation programme to nurture the audiences, performers and arts managers of the future; in January 2012 it was appointed as Associate Ensemble at the Barbican Centre; and it is now working to establish its own record label. The orchestra’s supporters have risen magnificently to the challenge of funding the initial costs of these developments, and the greatest priority now is to make the stepchange permanent. You can help us to do so by joining their number. Because the AAM is a charity it can claim Gift Aid on donations, boosting their value by 25%. Even better, the orchestra has received a generous challenge grant which means that every pound donated by a new Society member will be matched. We would be thrilled to welcome you as a member — and your support would enable us to enrich more lives than ever before with our music. To find out more please contact Oriel Williams, our Fundraising Manager, on 01223 341093 or [email protected].

Join the AAM Society I would like to join the AAM Society I would like to give membership of the AAM Society to someone else as a gift

Your details Name: ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Address: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Telephone: ............................................................................................................................. Email: ......................................................................................................................................

Gift membership — member’s details Please complete this section only if you are giving Society membership to someone else as a gift. Member’s name: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Member’s address: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Member’s telephone: ...................................................................................................... Member’s email: ................................................................................................................................

Membership level The Chairman’s Circle The Hogwood Circle Principal Patron Patron

Principal Benefactor £1,000–£2,499 Benefactor £500–£999 Donor £250–£499 Young Supporter (under 40 only) £100–£249

£20,000+ £10,000–£19,999 £5,000–£9,999 £2,500–£4,999

Acknowledgement  lease acknowledge my gift using the following wording ...................................................................................................................................................................................... P I would prefer to remain anonymous

Payment details I enclose a cheque for £.......................... (please make payable to ‘AAM’)

I would like to pay by standing order (see below)

I enclose a CAF cheque for £.......................... (please make payable to ‘AAM’)

I would like to make a gift of shares (please contact the AAM)

Gift Aid declaration Please complete this section if you pay UK income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax which the AAM will reclaim on your donations in the appropriate tax year. Please treat this donation and all donations that I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise as Gift Aid donations. Signed .................................................................................................................................................................................... Date ...........................................................................................................

Standing order mandate Please complete this section only if you would like to make your donation by standing order. Name of bank ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Why we support the AAM



Bank address .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

We love the AAM’s excellent performances, academic depth and innovative programming, and as AAM Society members we share the musical life of this superb ensemble project by project. The AAM is as welcoming and friendly as it is enlightening, and as professional behind the scenes as it is on stage! RICHARD AND ELENA BRIDGES AAM SOCIETY MEMBERS



Account number .............................................................................................................. Sort code ............................................................................................................................................. Please pay Academy of Ancient Music, Lloyds TSB. Gonville Place Branch, Cambridge, sort code 30-13-55, account number 02768172, the sum of £.......................... per month / quarter / year, starting on........................................................................................................................................................................... Signed .................................................................................................................................................................................... Date ........................................................................................................... Please return this form to: Oriel Williams, Academy of Ancient Music, 11b King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ

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Join the Friends of the AAM today Membership from just £2.50 per month

Glimpse orchestral life behind the scenes Benefit from priority booking Meet the musicians Support the music you love AAMplify side-by-side workshop 4 March 2013, 2–5pm West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

An exclusive chance to see AAM musicians playing alongside students from Cambridge University

Post-concert drinks 29 March 2013 6.00pm Barbican Centre, London

Enjoy a drink with musicians and fellow AAM supporters following our performance of JS Bach’s St John Passion

HOW TO JOIN Pick up a leaflet in the foyer tonight Visit aam.co.uk/support

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Thank you The AAM is indebted to the following trusts, companies, public bodies and individuals for their support of the orchestra’s work: AAM Business Club Cambridge University ­Press Kleinwort ­Benson Royal Bank of Canada Public funders Arts Council England Orchestras ­Live Cambridge City ­Council

Trusts and foundations The Backstage Trust CHK Charities ­Ltd Dunard ­Fund John Ellerman ­Foundation Esmée Fairbairn ­Foundation Fidelity UK ­Foundation Gatsby Charitable Foundation J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable ­Trust Newby Trust ­Ltd Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary ­Settlement Constance Travis Charitable ­Trust Garfield Weston ­Foundation and other anonymous trusts and foundations

The AAM S­ ociety Special gifts The Academy of Ancient Music extends its grateful thanks to Richard and Elena Bridges, Matthew Ferrey and Lady Sainsbury of Turville, who have supported the orchestra’s work at a particularly significant level this y­ ear. The Chairman’s C ­ ircle (Donations £20,000–£49,999 per annum) Matthew ­Ferrey CHK Charities ­Ltd The Hogwood C ­ ircle (Donations £10,000 - £19,999 per annum) Lord and Lady ­Magan Christopher and Phillida Purvis * Mrs Julia ­Rosier Dr Christopher and Lady Juliet ­Tadgell Lady Linda Wong Davies (KT Wong Foundation) Principal ­Patrons (Donations £5,000 ­– £9,999 per annum) Richard and Elena Bridges Christopher Hogwood CBE * Mrs Sheila ­Mitchell Newby Trust Ltd * Chris and Ali Rocker Terence and Sian Sinclair and other anonymous Principal P ­ atrons Patrons (Donations £2,500 – £4,999 per annum) Lady Alexander of ­Weedon Adam and Sara ­Broadbent Richard and Elizabeth de Friend Mr and Mrs JE ­Everett Mr and Mrs James G ­ olob Sir Nicholas and Lady Goodison * John and Ann ­Grieves Graham and Amanda Hutton David and Linda Lakhdhir Mark and Liza ­Loveday Nigel and Hilary Pye * John and Joyce Reeve Mark West and other anonymous ­Patrons Principal ­Benefactors (Donations £1,000 – £2,499 per annum) John and Gilly Baker George and Kay ­Brock Mrs D ­Broke Mr and Mrs Graham Brown

Clive and Helena ­Butler Jo and Keren ­Butler Sir Charles ­Chadwyck-­Healey ­Bt Peter Stormonth Darling Kate Donaghy The Hon Simon ­Eccles The Hon William Gibson Elma Hawkins and Charles R ­ ichter Lord Hindlip John McFadden and Lisa Kabnick * Steven Larcombe and Sonya Leydecker Mr and Mrs C ­Norton Lionel and Lynn ­Persey ­ awlinson Mr and Mrs Charles R Mark and Elizabeth Ridley Simon Robey Sir Konrad and Lady Schiemann * JG ­Stanford Mr Michael Stump John and Madeleine ­Tattersall Marcellus and Katharine Taylor-­Jones Stephen Thomas Sarah Williams Mrs R Wilson ­Stephens Charles ­Woodward and other anonymous Principal B ­ enefactors Benefactors (Donations £500 – £999) Dr Aileen Adams ­CBE Bill and Sue ­Blyth Claire Brisby and John Brisby QC * Mr and Mrs Edward Davies-­Gilbert Charles Dumas Mr and Mrs ­Jean-­Marie ­Eveillard Simon Fairclough Marshall ­Field Michael and Michele Foot CBE Andrew and Wendy ­Gairdner Hon William ­Gibson The Hon Mr and Mrs Philip H ­ avers Professor Sean ­Hilton Dr and Mrs G and W Hoffman Heather Jarman * Susan ­Latham Tessa ­Mayhew Mr and Mrs Hideto Nakahara Nick and Margaret ­Parker Bruno Schroder and family Victoria Sharp Peter ­Thomson Janet Unwin Pippa Wicks

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Oriel Williams Peter and Margaret ­Wynn Julia Yorke and other anonymous ­Benefactors Donors (Donations £250 – £499) Angela and Roderick Ashby-­Johnson Elisabeth and Bob Boas * Mrs Nicky Brown Jeremy J ­Bunting Mr Alexander Chadd Dr and Mrs S C ­ hallah David and Elizabeth ­Challen Cottisford Trust Stephen and Debbie ­Dance Derek and Mary Draper Beatrice and Charles ­Goldie Steven and Madelaine ­Gunders Gemma and Lewis Morris H ­ all Mrs Helen ­Higgs Lord and Lady Jenkin of R ­ oding Alison ­Knocker Richard ­Lockwood David Mackinlay Yvonne de la Praudière Jane Rabagliati and Raymond Cross Robin and Jane ­Raw Martin ­Randall Arthur L Rebell and Susan B C ­ ohen Denys ­Robinson Mr and Mrs Timothy Robinson Michael and Giustina ­Ryan Alison Salt Miss E M ­Schlossmann Michael Smith Rt Hon Sir Murray S­ tuart-­Smith * Robin ­Vousden Paul F. Wilkinson and Associates I­nc. Tony and Jackie Yates-Watson and other anonymous ­Donors * denotes founder ­member