A Festive Baroque Christmas
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
34th SEASON A Festive Baroque Christmas Victoria Baroque Jeanne Lamon violin and direction Rebecca Genge soprano Kris Kwapis trumpet 22 December 2018 St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 2018-19 Concert Season J.S. Bach: Victoria’s Requiem The Circle of Creation and Penitential co-presented by 26 January 2019 Saturday 8pm Motets Alix Goolden Hall 23 March 2019 Saturday 8pm Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra Christ Church Cathedral (TORONTO) Choir of Clare College Elisa Citterio violin and direction Cambridge (UK) Jeszcze Marcinie: Gate to the East Renaissance Polish Keyboard 6 April 2019 Saturday 8pm 24 February 2019 Sunday 3pm Alix Goolden Hall St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Marco Beasley tenor (ITALY) Corina Marti harpsichord (SWITZERLAND) Constantinople (MONTREAL) Kiya Tabassian setar and direction Quartets of Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert 9 March 2019 Saturday 8pm Alix Goolden Hall Chiaroscuro String Quartet (EUROPE) The Early Music Society of the Islands would like to thank you for your patronage and wish you the best of the Holiday Season! A Festive Baroque Christmas Jeanne Lamon director/violin Rebecca Genge soprano Kris Kwapis trumpet Christi Meyers violin Joanna Hood viola Chloe Kim violin Caroline Nicolas cello Elyssa Lefurgey-Smith violin Michael Vaughan double bass Kathryn Wiebe violin Soile Stratkauskas flute Tyson Doknjas violin Katrina Russell bassoon Mieka Michaux viola Michael Jarvis harpsichord Sinfonie di Concerto Grosso in D major No.2 Alessandro Scarlatti (1660 – 1725) Spiritoso – Adagio – Allegro – Adagio – Presto Largo from Concerto Grosso Op.3 No.12 Pastorale per il santissimo natale Francesco Manfredini (1684 – 1762) Aria ‘Sußer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt’ from Cantata BWV 151 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750) Sinfonia in D major G9 Giuseppe Torelli (1658 – 1709) Allegro – Adagio – Prestissimo – Adagio – Allegro Concerto Grosso in D minor Op.3 No.11 Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741) Allegro – Adagio spiccato – Allegro – Largo e spiccato – Allegro INTERMISSION Concerto for four violins in D major TWV 40:202 Georg Philipp Telemann (1681 – 1767) Adagio – Allegro – Grave – Allegro Cantata Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen BWV 51 J.S. Bach Aria – Recitative – Aria – Chorale – Aria Carols Est ist ein Ros entsprungen (harm. by Praetorius) O Jesulein süß, o Jesulein mild! (arr. by Bach) Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier (Bach) In dulci jubilo (harm. by Bach) Programme Notes Victoria Baroque, under the direction of Jeanne Lamon keys typically restrain from using the trumpet, giving the (former long-time music director of Tafelmusik), with violins a chance to shine instead, as in the Sinfonia G9. Canadian soprano Rebecca and Kris Kwapis on trumpet Vivaldi’s Concerto Grosso in D minor Opus 3 No.1 is part celebrates the festive season with Baroque works that are of his collection of twelve Concerto Grossi titled L’estro jubilant, joyous, and pastoral in spirit. armonico (Harmonious Inspiration). Published in 1711 in Alessandro Scarlatti’s Sinfonia in D major No.2 is unique Amsterdam, they are Vivaldi’s first works of this genre. Like in its pairing of two contrasting solo instruments: trumpet Manfredini’s Concerti Grossi, they are scored for two solo and flute. The concerto delightfully alternates from bubbly violins, solo cello, and ripieno strings. The Concerto opens and exuberant to intimate and introspective. Alessandro with rousing, virtuosic passages by the solo instruments. Scarlatti was one of the leading composers of cantatas and The fugal Allegro is followed by an expressive solo aria for operas of his time, but his instrumental contributions were the violin in style of a rocking Siciliano. scarce. The Sinfonia in D is part of a collection of twelve Telemann’s Four Concerti for Four Solo Violins TWV Sinfonias written relatively late in his career in 1715. 40:201-4 are unusual amongst instrumental concerti in Francesco Manfredini composed the Italian Baroque their lack of accompanying instruments, most notably the Concerto during its Golden Age. He studied violin with Torelli, was a member of the celebrated association of musicians continuo. The four equal violin parts take turns in playing Accademia dei Filharmonici in Bologna, and is believed to have melodic material and providing harmony and bass line. worked over twenty years as a court musician for Prince Antoine Thoroughly joyous and imaginative, the concerti are a of Monaco. Concerto Grosso Pastorale per il santissimo natale is novelty and treat for both players and listeners. part of his collection of twelve Concerto Grossi published in Bach’s Cantata Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen BWV 51 is 1718. At once, the listeners are lulled into a peaceful pastoral, somewhat of an anomaly amongst his cantatas. Only nine archetypical to nativity-themed Baroque works. of these cantatas are written for a solo singer, and BWV Bach wrote the cantata Sußer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt 51 is the only one pairing a solo soprano with trumpet BWV 151 for the third day of Christmas in December -- a scoring more typical to Scarlatti and other Italian 1725, as part of his third complete cantata cycle in Leipzig. masters. The cantata is titled ‘et in ogni tempo,’ meaning Unlike the exuberant cantatas employing brass and choir it is not specific to a festival or day of the church year, in full, written for the first and second days of Christmas, though it is clearly celebratory in spirit. Records show that BWV 151 is more intimate and personal in nature. The the cantata was performed at Thomaskirche September cantata’s title aria is pastoral and lullaby-like with its 17 1730, the fifteenth Sunday after Trinity. However, it obligato flute melismas, rocking string accompaniment is likely the cantata was composed earlier as it does not and voice arcing over them in soaring lines. relate to the designated readings for that Sunday. Women As a member of Accademia dei Filharmonici, Giuseppe were strictly forbidden from music performance in the Torelli was a notable Italian violinist, pedagogue, and churches in Leipzig. Thus, many speculate that this cantata developer of the baroque concerto and concerto grosso. In was originally written with a female soloist in mind for addition to writing abundant concerti for strings, he was a an occasion outside church. Perhaps it was composed prolific composer for the trumpet – composing over thirty for Bach’s wife and accomplished singer Anna Magdalena and trumpet concertos for one to four trumpets. Like most solo her trumpeter brother to perform at a royal celebration in works for trumpet, the Sinfonia G9 is in the festive key of a nearby Court. The opening aria in C major is jubilant and D major. As the baroque trumpet is limited to the notes of highly virtuosic for both the trumpet and voice. The following the harmonic series of a major key, movements in minor recitative is more like an arioso, including string accompaniment 4 and striking word painting, most notably on word lallen former student from Thomaschule, Georg Christian Schemelli. (babble). The middle aria is introspective, scored for just voice Bach contributed multiple songs to the book, both original and continuo, in the tender key of A minor. Replacing a typical compositions as well as arrangements. These devotional songs four-part chorale (and to get around the need to employ a scored for voice and figured bass were meant for private use choir), Bach wrote a chorale fantasia. Scored for two solo violins rather than liturgical – little gems on par with his Notenbüchlein and continuo, it is like a frolicking trio sonata over which the für Anna Magdalena, demonstrating Bach’s beautiful mind even soloist sings the chorale tune. The closingAlleluja brings back an in the simplest forms of music. O Jesulein süss! O Jesulein mild! exultant spirit with the trumpet. was one of many popular cradle-rocking songs in 16th and 17th The three carols ending tonight’s concert were each century Germany. Paul Gerhardt’s poem ‘Ich steh an deiner intrinsic to the Christmas tradition in 18th century Krippen hier’ was first published in 1653, and Bach’s setting is Germany. Still a beloved carol today, Es ist ein Ros still used in Catholic and Protestant hymnals today. entsprungen, dates from the 15th century and first appeared According to folklore, the carol In dulci jubilo in print in 1599. The text refers to the prophecies of Isaiah, was revealed to the 14th century mystic German Heinrich foretelling the birth of Jesus. The familiar harmonisation Seuse by angels who surrounded him singing and still common today is by Michael Praetorius. dancing in worship. The text is macaronic, alternating The two carols,O Jesulein süss! O Jesulein mild! and Ich steh between Latin and German. Several Baroque composers an deiner Krippen hier, both appear in the Musicalisches Gesang- used the tune in their compositions including Buxtehude Buch of 1736, a collection of hymns put together by Bach’s and J.S. Bach. 5 Texts and Translations Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt BWV 151 Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt, Comfort sweet, my Jesus comes, Jesus wird anitzt geboren! Jesus now is born amongst us! Herz und Seele freuet sich, Heart and soul with joy are filled, Denn mein liebster Gott hat mich For my dearest God hath me Nun zum Himmel auserkoren. Now for heaven's prize elected. Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen! BWV 51 1. Aria 1. Aria Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen! Exult in God in every land! Was der Himmel und die Welt All the creatures An Geschöpfen in sich hält, contained in heaven and earth Müssen dessen Ruhm erhöhen, must raise up this praise, Und wir wollen unserm Gott and to our God we will Gleichfalls itzt ein Opfer bringen, now likewise bring an offering Dass er uns in Kreuz und Not since in affliction and distress Allezeit hat beigestanden. at all times he has stood by us.