Viol Song' August 2011
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directed by Jennifer Eriksson 3.00pm Sunday 14th August Recital Hall East, Sydney Conservatorium of Music www.maraisproject.com.au or join us on Facebook • PIèces en Trio - Marin Marais; • Aurora Prone (2011) - transcribed by Jennifer Dan Walker Eriksson - Cell DNA Program - Simphonie - Lotus Dam • Chacoña – Juan Arañés - Sarabande de Grave - Aurora Prone (? -1649) - Bransle de village - Rigaudon • Revolving Doors – • Cessés mortels de soupirer – - Menuet 2 Elena Kats - Chernin Pierre Guédron (c. 1570 – c. - Meunet 4 (b1957); arranged by 1620) Tommie Andersson with • Aquarelle (2009) - Rosalind • From Silent Night - John permission Page Dowland (1563 – 1626) • Ah, Nastasya - Traditional; • Les voix humaines arranged by Dan Walker (human voices) - Marin Marais (1656-1728) Welcome from Jennifer Eriksson Today we explore a key aspect of our mission as an ensemble: to present music for the viola da gamba in a contemporary Australian context. Together with works by Marais, three fine Australian composers are represented in Dan Walker, Rosalind Page and Elena Kats-Chernin along with one of Australia’s greatest poets, Les Murray. Our thanks go to Father Arthur Bridges from Ars Musica Australis who supported the commissioning of both “Aquarelle” and “Aurora Prone.” Russian folk song sung to Andrei by his grandfather when we was a young boy. “ViolBackground Song” is a journey through to the music music for viol and voice that spans five countries and four centuries. Dan Walker writes about “Aurora Prone”: “The piece Juan Arañés’ Chacona was the first piece for voices is a three-movement work based on three quite by a Spanish composer to appear in print. Pierre different Les Murray texts. I was immediately drawn Guédron was the greatest composer of “Airs de to these works by their fabulous imagery and cour”, courtly songs which dominated secular music the inherent clarity in the writing. Musically, I’ve France in the early 17th century. John Dowland was attempted to match the vivacity of Murray’s poems one of the finest lutenists and song composers of with instrumental flourishes and harmonious lines. all time. He held Court appointments in Europe and The text, sung by a solo tenor voice, is set rather England and is considered to be the English master simply and plaintively, and I thoroughly enjoyed of the lute song. “Ah, Nastasya” is a traditional the challenge presented with writing for Baroque Likewise, with permission, Tommie has arranged instruments in a decidedly non-baroque fashion. Elena Kats-Chernin’s “Revolving Doors” which Discovering the idiosyncrasies of the gamba was originally a solo piano piece. There is a lovely and theorbo was a joy: chordal qualities lending link between the last two pieces on the program themselves well to shimmering, rich harmonic in that Elena was born in what was at the time figures; dexterous enough for the most filigree of Soviet-controlled, Russian speaking Uzbekistan, ornamental gestures; with everything in between. while Andrei has Russian parents and speaks the The opportunity to workshop the music with such language fluently. fine players has also meant that the music I’ve written can truly do these beautiful and in many Rosalind Page comments on “Aquarelle”: “Whilst ways under-appreciated instruments justice”. undertaking an artist residency January-February 2009 at CAMAC, Marnay-sur-Seine, France, I was The instrumental pieces have been chosen to perpetually entranced by the movement and complement the songs. The theorist Jean Rousseau evocative moods, through mist, snow and the states the viol player should “imitate everything contrasted clarity of reflected charming and agreeable that the voice can do winter light, of the river Seine. with tenderness and delicacy”. In Marais’ “Les voix Throughout time, La Seine has humaines” the performer is not only required to been the source of inspiration make the melodies sing but also to sustain several for painters, including les grands independent voices. Marais is remembered mostly aquarellistes. Like the river, for the suites he wrote for the viola da gamba. Aquarelle traverses a similar However, he also wrote some delightful trio watercolour palette to that of sonates. The D major trio which you will hear today Marin Marais and seeks a dialogue was originally written for flute, violin and continuo. across history and place, linking Following the baroque tradition of arranging music new Australian composition with for the available instruments I have adapted this the luminescent flowing sources piece for violin, viola da gamba and continuo. of French artistic creativity.” Alice Evans was born in Perth and at fifteen she became a student at the Western Australian Conservatorium of Music, from which she graduated. Alice became a core member of BiographiesAndrei Laptev has been the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 1990. In choirmaster of Holy Protection 1997, she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship Russian Orthodox Church in to spend a year in Europe studying Baroque Cabramatta since 2006. He is Violin. During this time she studied in England, a member of Cantillation, The Holland and France and also played with various Brandenburg Choir, Sydney leading period ensembles including Florilegium, Chamber Choir and The The Hanover Band and King’s Consort. Alice Parsons Affayre. In 2009 he has played with most of the leading period appeared in the role of Osmano in Pinchgut instrument ensembles around Australia. She Opera’s production of L’Ormindo, and has been a recently joined Concerto Copenhagen for their featured soloist in Opera Australia’s productions Australian debut tour with Musica Viva. of Acis and Galatea and La Boheme. Recent solo performances include the Lieutenant Kije Suite Daniel Walker is one of Australia’s most with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in 2009 promising young composers. He has had works and in 2010 with the Australian Brandenburg commissioned and performed by such groups Orchestra in their Coronation concert series as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, The Song in Sydney and Melbourne. Andrei has been Company, Gondwana Voices, Queensland a featured soloist on recent recordings on the Youth Choir, the Murrumbidgee Symphony ABC Classics label including the albums Exaltate Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. He Dominum, featuring music by George Palmer, is the current Assistant Conductor for Sydney Spain: Great Guitar Concertos with Karen Shaupp Children’s Choir and Gondwana Voices. As a and David and Jonathan with Pinchgut Opera. performer, he is a regular member of Cantillation, Pinchgut Opera, and a guest member of The Lute Project and commissioned four Australian Song Company and the Opera Australia chorus. composers to write for him. Tommie Andersson appears on more than 35 CDs and lectures in Rosalind Page has created works for theatre, Lute at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He dance, chamber ensembles, orchestra and is a founding member of The Marais Project. electronica, with performances in Europe, USA and Japan. Rosalind’s artistic practice includes Jennifer Eriksson completed her initial musical her M.A. (Theatre and Film Studies) on sound/ studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. image relationships in the films of Andrei She subsequently studied the viola da gamba with Tarkovsky. In 2006 her setting of Lorca’s Sonetos Jaap ter Linden at the Rotterdam Conservatorium del AmorOscuro won the Paul Lowin Song Cycle where she completed post-graduate studies Prize. Rosalind has been an invited composer in baroque music. She founded The Marais by ISCM at Visby International Composers Project in 2000 and also directs the Musica Viva Centre, Gotland, Sweden and artist-in-residence in Schools ensemble, Sounds Baroque. Jennifer at Centre d’ArtMarnay Art Centre (CAMAC) in is widely recognised as one of Australia’s best France. Currently Rosalind teaches composition known and most versatile viola da gambists. at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Cathy Upex completed her Bachelor of Tommie Andersson is highly sought after both Music (Honours) at Sydney University in 1997, as a soloist and as a continuo player and performs performing the Saint-Saëns ‘cello concerto with Opera Australia, Sydney Philharmonia, the with the Sydney University Orchestra. She has Song Company, Pinchgut Opera, the Orchestra performed with The Renaissance Players, the of the Antipodes, Sydney Chamber Choir, Conservatorium Baroque Orchestra, Salút, Halcyon and the Australian Chamber Orchestra The Sydney Consort, Lautetia, La Folia, the amongst others. He is a founding member and Opera Project and Zarabanda. Catherine is a principal player of the Australian Brandenburg founder member of The Marais Project and Orchestra. In 2007, ABC Classic FM initiated the appears on all three Marais Project CDs. It is permitted to adore her, But not to be in love with her, Only the gods Texts Chacoña May love so highly One evening in the month of roses a dancing party was held, Love, in the most distant places It afforded a thousand pleasures Even where his fires are mistrusted, And was famed both far and wide. With but the fame of her beauty, Here’s to the good, sweet life, Captures the greatest souls: Let’s dance the chaconne. But only the gods May love so highly. When Almadan was wed A grand old party was thrown. He would be too foolish The daughters of Anao danced Some day when his joy aspires, With the grandsons of Milan. If her beautiful eyes had wounded him, The father-in-law of Beltran To make him dare reveal his suffering; And Orpheus’s sister-in-law For only the gods Began a Guinea dance May love so highly. And an Amazon finished it off, As was famed both far and wide. In short, these divine qualities With which the heavens Cessés, mortels de soupirer (Cease your sigh- Glorified her birth, ing oh ! mortals) Forbid even the gods Cease your sighing oh mortals, Not from loving her, but the hope This is no mortal beauty; Of obtaining in loving her Other than a glorious torment.