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
A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 1
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.
2 A C A D e M Y O F A n C I e n T M u S I C , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e A S O n
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.
A C A D e M Y O F A n C I e n T M u S I C , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e A S O n 3
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.
4 A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n
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!
A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 5
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!
6 A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n
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)
A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 7
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
8 A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n
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.
A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 9
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
In accordance with the requirements of City of
Westminster, persons shall not be permitted to stand or
sit in any of the gangways intersecting the seating, or to
sit in any of the other gangways. If standing is permitted
in the gangways at the sides and rear of the seating, it
shall be limited to the numbers indicated in the notices
exhibited in those positions.
NEW IMAGE HERE
Facilities for Disabled People:
Please contact House Management for full details.
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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A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 13
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?
14 A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n
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
A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 15
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
16 A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n
A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n 17
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
18 A C A D e M Y O F A n C I e n T M u S I C , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e A S O n
A C A D e M Y O F A n C I e n T M u S I C , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e A S O n 19
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
20 A cad e my of A n ci e n t M u sic , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S e aso n
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