THE MARRIAGE OF THE NORTHERN STAR Flauguissimo Ensemble Andrea Eklund soprano Yu-Wei Hu flute Johan Löfving guitar, theorbo Consone Quartet Magdalena Loth-Hill violin David Lopez Ibáñez violin Elitsa Bogdanova viola George Ross cello with Rosie Moon double bass Justyna Janiszewska contemporary dancer Steven Player baroque dancer Concert supported by Nigel Pittman, The Swedish Church in London’s Thora Ohlsson Cultural Fund and The Behrens Foundation Flauguissimo, Consone THE MARRIAGE OF NORTHERN STAR St George’s Church, 8pm Friday 2 November Event 9 THE PROGRAMME THE MUSIC Johan Helmich Roman 1694–1758 Drottningholmsmusiken In 1744, the wedding of Swedish Crown the new rulers, and expressing hope for Allegro assai – Andante – Presto – Grave Prince Adolf Fredrik and Louisa Ulrika of peace and prosperity following decades of Prussia at Drottningholm Castle was the Swedish warfare and imperialism. Süsse Zeiten eilet nicht most splendid celebration of a royal power After the peaceful coup of King Gustav III in from Cantata in einer Taffel-Musik couple and the grand opening to the Age of 1772 Sweden entered a new era. The strong Enlightenment in Sweden. Drottningholmsmusiken parliament of previous decades gave way Andante – Allegro molto – Andante – As an important cultural centre in northern to years of royal absolutism, which were to Europe, the Swedish court at Stockholm last even beyond the King’s assassination. Allegro – Allegro welcomed musicians and artists such as However, Gustav was an enlightened Carl Michael Bellman 1740–1795 Fjäril’n vingad syns på Haga Johan Helmich Roman and Joseph Martin ruler in the finest sense of the word. (The butterfly winged is seen in Haga) Kraus from all around continental Europe He supported the arts and sciences and with open arms. At the same time, folk founded many of the cultural institutions Solen glimmar blank och trind music and dance prevailed alongside gentle which are still at the very heart of Swedish (The sun gleams smooth and round) ballads and poems by the likes of the society. famous troubadour Carl Michael Bellman. Among the musicians affiliated with Roman Drottningholmsmusiken This cosmopolitan golden era unfortunately his court, Bellman stands out as a very Menuet & Trio – Presto – Vivace came to an abrupt end when King Gustav III unusual genius. He received patronage was shot dead at a masked ball in 1792. INTERVAL from the court simply as an entertainer, Roman is widely considered to be the father setting his own poetry to popular tunes Joseph Martin Kraus 1756–1792 Cantata La Pesca VB 44 of Swedish music and he contributed greatly and accompanying himself on the cittern. Christoph Willibald Gluck 1714–1787 Dance of the Blessed Spirits to creating a musical culture of international In his poetry, Bellman creates a complete standards. In 1715 he set out for London imaginary world based on real characters from Orfeo ed Euridice to deepen his musical experience and in 18th century Stockholm, whose main Bellman Märk hur vår skugga worked with both Geminiani and Handel. occupation is the celebration of Bacchus. (Mark how our shadow) Upon his return to Stockholm he eventually Due to the many sexual references and found himself Director of the Royal Court excessive drinking described, his works Nå skrufva fiolen Orchestra. remained controversial but also admired; (Now strike the fiddle) the references to ancient mythology and in Drottningholmsmusiken was written for the particular biblical stories give many of the grand wedding in 1744 and has remained Käraste bröder, systrar och vänner songs a wonderful tension between the the most beloved Swedish musical work (Dearest brothers, sisters and friends) rough and the noble. from the baroque period. Roman wrote Luigi Boccherini 1743–1805 Fandango from Guitar Quintet in D a great deal of chamber music as well as However, ‘Fjäril’n vingad syns på Haga’ is an choral works. The aria from his Taffel-Musik exception in its innocence and describes the is an early work from 1727, celebrating beautiful nature in one of the royal gardens. 3 THE MUSIC THE TEXTS ‘Solen glimmar blank och trind’ is a typical original tune actually comes from Roman’s Süsse Zeiten eilet nicht a music instrument as nice as the Pan Bellman song, describing the courtesan Ulla Drottningholmsmusiken which shows how Sweet times, do not hurry, flute. Winblad’s journey home on the lake after a well aware Bellman was of the musical rather wait for pleasant hours. Then you will watch from the seaside typical late night of merry drinking. scene beyond the streets and taverns. Sweden is now victorious, your dear lambs nibbling at the soft grass rediscovering peace, joy, faith and light. protected from the sun by the trees Kraus is often referred to as the ‘Swedish Finally, our party ends with a masterpiece in the fields nearby. Mozart’ and although German by birth, from the Iberian world by Italian composer Cantata La Pesca In the meantime, you shall lay a trap he became a pivotal figure in Swedish Luigi Boccherini. His Fandango sparks the Aria: Già la notte s’avvicina for the fishes with hook and lines: musical history. The cantata La Pesca on a imagination with fire and is equally suited Night is already near: so, at the same moment, my Nice Metastasian libretto is highly elegant and to a splendid wedding party as to a deadly come, my beloved Nice, will be shepherdess and fisherwoman. one can barely imagine that Kraus at the masked ball. King Gustav might be dead, and breathe the fresh breeze same time also wrote intense Sturm und but the legacy of his era will continue to live on the silent shoreline. Aria: Non più fra’ sassi algosi Drang-inspired symphonies! for years to come! Human beings cannot tell what pleasure is No more in sea’s weedy caves © Johan Löfving 2018 Meanwhile on the Continent, great musical if they don’t rest on these sands the fishes shall remain: changes took place, not the least on the Thanks to Bertil van Boer for his edition of now that a slow zephyr they all will come opera stage. The Dance of the Blessed the Kraus Cantata La Pesca. is ruffling the sea. to my beloved’s lines, Spirits from Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice is running through the salty waves. one of the most beloved operatic flute Recitative: Lascia una volta And the Nymphs, solos of all time and expresses a simple Leave, once at least, your hut, in crystal waters bred, beauty which is at the very heart of Gluck’s oh Nice. That rustic cottage shall grace her lap mastery. This piece was originally added cannot be considered with white shells specifically for the French premiere in 1774, the only place for pleasure: and shining corals. satisfying the French audiences’ love of both these waves are a source of joy too. flute music and ballet scenes. Here, when night unfolds her dark mantle, The last set of Bellman songs shows him you will see the never ending stars as both a sublime poet and sensitive reflected on the sea surface. musician, creating genuinely contrasting Here you will see the moon expressions. ‘Märk hur vår skugga’ is set breaking her rays of light as a funeral scene in a deprived Stockholm on the cold and dark waves. suburb, while ‘Nå skrufva Fiolen’ brings us During the day I shall sing you the love back to the joyful atmosphere of music and stories dance. This is also the theme for ‘Käraste of Thetis, Galathea, Glaucus, and Dori Bröder, Systrar och Vänner’, an invitation – if you don’t want to hear about my pains to dance and to forget one’s sorrows. The – accompanied by the sound of a conch, 4 5 THE PERFORMERS THE PERFORMERS Flauguissimo was founded by flautist Italy and London Festival of Baroque Music. Andrea Eklund is a Finnish-Swedish Rosie Moon works with many period Yu-Wei Hu and guitarist Johan Löfving Their performances have been broadcast soprano, composer/arranger and conductor, instrument ensembles in the UK and in 2008. Their wide repertoire, spanning on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, Radio France, known for a bold musicality that crosses abroad, including Florilegium, Orchestra from early music on period instruments to Austrian Radio Ö1 and Swedish Radio P2. diverse genres and musical disciplines. She of the Age of Enlightenment, Ensemble collaborations with new composers, has flauguissimoduo.com studied Music Education at the Sibelius Cantatio and The Oxford Bach Soloists. She led to concerts in many prestigious venues Academy in Helsinki, specialising in choral has recorded with Camerata Alma Viva and Formed at the Royal College of Music including Kings Place, Cadogan Hall, St conducting. After an exchange year at the the International Baroque Players. Rosie in London, the Consone Quartet is George’s Bristol and Sage Gateshead. University of York, she went on to study has also broadcast live on BBC Radio 3’s ‘In dedicated to exploring Classical and early They have performed in the Stratford-on- Historical Performance at the Guildhall Tune’ with various groups, and has worked Romantic repertoire on period instruments. Avon, Honiton and King’s Lynn Festivals; School of Music & Drama with Marie as principal bass under Bernard Haitink, Winner of the 2016 Royal OverSeas League abroad, they have appeared in the Utrecht Vassiliou, Mhairi Lawson and Emma Kirkby. Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sir Charles Mackerras, Ensemble Prize in London, Consone was Early Music Festival Fringe, the Swedish Andrea has specialised in early Italian and John Wilson and Sir Roger Norrington. also awarded two prizes at the 2015 Guitar and Lute Festival and the Bach late French baroque repertoire. Rosie studied modern and baroque double York Early Music International Young Hall in Taiwan.