Box office 01904 658338 ncem.co.uk/yemf
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Welcome to the 2018 Festival This year’s theme – Power & Politics – is one of the most seductive, intoxicating and pertinent subjects of our age. The Festival will illustrate that nothing in the world is new as we present music covering 400 years of conflicts, from medieval popes to Napoleon. We mark the Catholic Church’s endeavours to bring order to the clergy, examine the politics of England as it plunged into the horrors of the English Civil War, take a tantalising glimpse into the opulent court of Louis XIV, and feel the heat of Beethoven’s outrage at the approach of conflict. Throughout all of this we marvel at the resilience of musicians to continue with their lives, travelling across borders, exchanging ideas and rebuilding society. Guests joining us include some of the world’s finest early music specialists. We are particularly excited to welcome violinist Rachel Podger with Brecon Baroque, Gabriel Crouch leading his vocal ensemble Gallicantus, the extraordinary viola da gamba virtuoso Paolo Pandolfo, lutenist Nigel North, and The Sixteen led by Harry Christophers.
We are also delighted to mark the remarkable career of harpsichordist/director Trevor Pinnock, as we present him with the biennial York Early Music Festival Lifetime Achievement Award. 2018 is also a showcase of exceptional young talent thanks to funding from Creative Europe and the NCEM’s EEEmerging programme. Sollazzo Ensemble – winners of the 2015 York International Young Artists Competition – have already established their international career, and their inaugural CD Parle qui veut has received the highest accolades. They are joined by four ensembles flagged within this brochure as NCEM Platform Artists. Concerts are illuminated by entertaining and informative lectures and workshops, (see page 20) and we even allow time out with the
Artistic Advisers John Bryan, Thomas Guthrie, Lindsay Kemp, Peter Seymour 02
members of our Festival Friends to enjoy the good company of like-minded individuals. The Festival would not of course be possible without a host of organisations and people to thank, not least the Arts Council England, City of York Council, BBC Radio 3 and our headline sponsors Hiscox Insurance, working with JWP Creers, Harrowells Solicitors, York Vikings Rotary Club and Shepherd Building Group. Thanks are also due to the Festival team, the NCEM, the many venues that we visit each year and, of course, you the audience. We look forward to seeing you again very soon. Delma Tomlin MBE Administrative Director
Friday 6 July Event 01 7.30pm Venue Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York Tickets Reserved seating £30.00
(concessions £28.00 | under 35s £5.00)
BRECON BAROQUE directed by Rachel Podger Rachel Podger, Sabine Stoffer, Henry Tong violins Jane Rogers viola Alison McGillivray cello Jan Spencer bass Daniele Caminiti lute Marcin Swiatkiewicz harpsichord
THE GLORIES OF VENICE Vivaldi
Sonata in E flat major, Al Santo Sepolcro, RV130
Bach
Harpsichord Concerto in D, BWV972 (after Vivaldi: Violin Concerto Op. 3 No. 9)
Vivaldi Lute Concerto in D major, RV93 Vivaldi Violin Concerto in D major Il Grosso Mogul, RV208
Venetian society in the 17th century was a hotbed of political intrigue, a powerful trading city whose fortunes were controlled by the all-pervading state and the power of the Doge. This febrile world is powerfully evoked in a colourful programme of concertos by Vivaldi, including a ‘re-arrangement of a Bach arrangement’ and a salute to a great foreign ruler in the spicy Il Grosso Mogul, which alludes to the Indian court of the Grand Mughal Akbar. The sections of The Four Seasons are unquestionably the most famous of Vivaldi’s many violin concertos, and the much-anticipated interpretation by Rachel Podger and Brecon Baroque of these uplifting and vividly pictorial works makes an exciting opener to this year’s festival.
Photo Theresa Pewal
Vivaldi The Four Seasons
‘Rachel Podger’s crack band deliver miracles of virtuosity’ The Observer www.rachelpodger.com
Supported by
The Queens Hotel www.queenshotel-york.com
Lecture Saver
under 35s £5.00
DISCOVER ALL OUR OFFERS ON PAGES 21 & 22 03
Saturday 7 JULY Lecture Saver
Event 02 10.00am – c.11.00am Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate Tickets Reserved seating £10.00
Time 12.30pm Venue Carluccio’s St Helen’s Square, York Tickets £20.00 includes a glass of wine:
please book by Friday 22 June
including coffee & biscuits on arrival
FESTIVAL LUNCH PARTY
IMAGES OF VIRTUE AND WAR Music at the Court of Charles I The reign of Charles I is often characterised as one of political chaos and decline, with wars against Spain leading to the disastrous Civil War that culminated in the King’s execution. But Charles’s cultural achievements were many, not least in his establishment of an active and progressive musical culture at court. Join us for the first of the 2018 Festival Lectures in the company of Jonathan Wainwright, Professor of Music at the University of York, who has written extensively about English and Italian music in the 16th and 17th centuries. See also events 4 & 10
The Friends are dedicated to supporting the summer festival and to encouraging young talent. Membership brings many benefits including advance booking, discounted tickets, reserved seating (where possible) and opportunities to meet with like-minded individuals. To join the Friends, please contact Karen Burborough by ringing 01904 658338 or email friends@ncem.co.uk or visit www.ncem.co.uk/friends
Event 03 3.30pm – c.4.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate Tickets Reserved seating: £18.00 (concessions £16.00 | under 35s £5.00)
Lucy Russell, Agata Daraskaite violins Rachel Gray cello Lynda Sayce theorbo Peter Seymour harpsichord, organ
REVOLTING WOMEN! A rare opportunity to hear music by four formidable female composers whose creativity and drive enabled them to overcome the social and professional hindrances of a maledominated world: the nun Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704), harpsichordist Elisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (1665-1729), gifted violinist Maddalena Sirmen (1745-1818), and ‘Mrs Philarmonica’, a pseudonymous composer working in London in the early 18th century. ‘[Russell] … beautifully polished playing’ The Sunday Times
Meet like-minded individuals who enjoy the summer festival and share informal receptions, supper parties and concerts year-round. NCEM Patrons offer vital support to the charitable trust that oversees all our activities. If you are interested in supporting early music into the future, please contact the NCEM’s Director Delma Tomlin.
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To find out more, please contact Delma Tomlin MBE T: 01904 632220 | Email: support@ncem.co.uk | www.ncem.co.uk/patrons
Saturday 7 JULY Event 04 7.30pm – c.9.30pm Venue St Michael le Belfrey Church, High Petergate Tickets Reserved seating central nave & balcony: £30.00
Unreserved seating side aisles: £23.00 (concessions £21.00 | under 35s £5.00)
GALLICANTUS
directed by Gabriel Crouch Clare Wilkinson mezzo soprano David Allsopp countertenor Tom Robson, Nicholas Todd tenors Gabriel Crouch baritone William Gaunt bass with
ROSE CONSORT OF VIOLS
Ibrahim Aziz, John Bryan, Alison Crum, Alison Kinder, Roy Marks viols David Pipe organ
THESE DISTRACTED TIMES England’s descent into Civil War under the reign of King Charles I took its toll on what had been one of the flourishing centres of European music – and under the austere Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell following the King’s execution, musical life died out almost completely. For two of the most important composers of the period, there was a heavy price to pay for loyalty to the King: Thomas Tomkins saw his
own home destroyed by cannon fire; and for the King’s favourite composer, William Lawes, a position in the King’s garrison cost him his life courtesy of a Parliamentary musket-ball. Here we explore music for voices and viols by composers whose careers spanned these years, alongside the UK premiere of a specially commissioned piece by Judith Bingham, a Requiem for William Lawes.
The title These distracted times – a commonly–heard expression of the day – is taken from a work penned by Tomkins after the execution of Charles I – A Sad Pavan for these Distracted Times. See also event 2 ‘Everything Gallicantus touches seems to turn to gold’ Early Music Today www.gallicantus.com
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Sunday 8 July Event 05 2.00pm – 3.00pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: Free to those attending other events within the Festival.
THE EARLY MUSIC SHOW
Photo Ben Pugh
Join us for a live broadcast of this popular show, presented by Lucie Skeaping, and meet selected guests from the 2018 Festival.
YEMF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Immediately following the broadcast, the Festival will present its seventh biennial Lifetime Achievement Award to Trevor Pinnock. Trevor Pinnock pioneered performance on historic instruments with the orchestra The English Concert which he founded in 1972. Since 2003, he has divided his time between conducting, solo, chamber music-making and educational work. In 2016, he celebrated his 70th year with a series of chamber concerts presented with some of his closest colleagues (including violinist Rachel Podger) which culminated in a sell-out concert here at the NCEM. Reporting for the Guardian, Alfred Hickling said “to hear Trevor Pinnock launch into the opening cadence of the Bach is a bit like hearing Keith 06
Richards cranking out the riff to Satisfaction – it’s incredible to think that he still has the motivation and excitement to make it sound so vital and authoritative after all these years”. Those of you lucky enough to read this before 24 April will have the opportunity to welcome Trevor back to the NCEM playing alongside Matthew Truscott, Sophie Gent and Jonathan Manson in a programme of Froberger, Goldberg, Bach and Handel. In July we will just have the pleasure of his company – please do join us in a celebration of this musical phenomenon – one we are delighted to honour!
The York Early Music Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award honours major figures who have made a significant difference to the world of early music and has been presented every other year since its inauguration in 2006. The previous winners have been: the Kuijken brothers (2006); Dame Emma Kirkby (2008); James Bowman (2010); Jordi Savall (2012); Andrew Parrott (2014); and Anthony Rooley (2016). Supported by
www.grangehotel.co.uk
Sunday 8 July Event 06 4.30pm – c.5.30pm Venue Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate Tickets Unreserved seating: £10.00
(concessions £8.00 | under 35s £5.00 Free to Festival Friends & NCEM Patrons)
MINSTER MINSTRELS directed by Ailsa Batters
THE FRENCH CONNECTION The restoration of Charles II to the throne in 1660 allowed music-making to flourish once again in London. But Charles had developed a love of things French while in exile and encouraged the French style in the music heard in his court and chapel. The Minster Minstrels – the NCEM’s ever-developing Youth Instrumental Ensemble - explores how this influence left its mark on music in England for decades to come. The Minster Minstrels is run as a partnership between the NCEM and York Music Centre with support from the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust. For details of the weekly programme, and information on how to join this lively group, please visit the website www.ncem.co.uk/minsterminstrels Supported by
(concessions £28.00 | under 35s £5.00)
Paolo Pandolfo viola da gamba, director Amélie Chemin viola da gamba Thomas Boysen theorbo, baroque guitar Markus Hunninger harpsichord
PARIS 1689 The ‘French Revolution’ started a century before you think, when musicians broke all the rules and climbed the social layers according to their talent rather than their often humble origins. Thus, the son of a shoemaker could become a court musician – as viol virtuoso Marin Marais did at only 23; or a modest family of provincial musicians could become a dynasty threaded right through the country’s musical fabric, namely the Couperins, of whom harpsichordist François was the most revered. This concert explores the chamber music of both men, as well as the French Baroque’s star lutenist, Robert de Visée. ‘…from the first to last note .. utmost wordless eloquence.’ Rondo www.paolopandolfo.com
Photo Rolf Schöllkopf
THE YORK VIKINGs ROTARY CLUB
Event 07 7.30pm – c.9.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £30.00
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Monday 9 July Sponsored by
Lecture Saver
Event 08 10.00am – c.11.00am Venue Bedern Hall, Bedern Tickets Unreserved seating: £10.00 including coffee & biscuits on arrival
MUSICAL PATRONAGE IN EARLY GEORGIAN LONDON Patronage in 18th-century London took several forms, including employment by the King or nobility, specific commissions, subscriptions to support opera companies or the publications of specific works.
Focusing on the period 1710–28, this talk by Graham Cummings, Visiting Professor of Historical Musicology at the University of Huddersfield, will examine how these factors impinged on the career of London’s foremost musician, George Frideric Handel.
Following the Festival’s theme, there will be discussion of the acrimonious relationship between King George I and the Prince of Wales and its musical repercussions. These included the royal river excursion in July 1717, the occasion for Handel’s Water Music. See also event 9
Event 09 1.00pm – c.2.00pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £16.00 (concessions £14.00 | under 35s £5.00)
Sponsored by
UNIVERSITY OF YORK BAROQUE ENSEMBLE directed by COMPAGNIA D’ISTRUMENTI BARGING IN! Handel’s Water Music Handel’s Water Music suites, first performed in 1717 on a barge on the Thames to accompany King George I’s river party, comprise a varied assortment of elegantly boisterous dances and a grand overture, while their lavish orchestration likewise befits a Royal celebration. No wonder ‘his Majesty liked [the music] so well, that he caus’d it to be plaid over three times in going and returning’. See also event 8
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Monday 9 July Event 10 7.30pm – c.9.30pm Venue Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, Fossgate Tickets Unreserved seating: £30.00
(concessions £28.00 | under 35s £5.00)
THEATRE OF THE AYRE Nicholas Mulroy tenor Matthew Brook bass-baritone Elizabeth Kenny lutes Alison McGillivray viola da gamba, lyra viol
THE ENGLISH VOCAL REVOLUTION
The Civil War destroyed lives, families and the cultural fabric of a nation. But musicians are resourceful, and a few brave souls continued to experiment with the vocal and instrumental techniques they hoped would come back into service ‘when the King enjoys his own again’. Preserving a form of musical resistance that was quietly
given the nod by those in power, these musicians kept exotic sounds and foreign-influenced techniques aflame before bursting back on the official music scene in 1660. This concert features music by Robert Johnson, Henry and William Lawes, John Hilton, Robert Ramsey and Giulio Caccini.
See also event 2 ‘A crack-squad of top instrumentalists’ Gramophone www.elizabethkenny.co.uk/ theatre-of-the-ayre Supported by Middlethorpe Hall Hotel and Spa
www.middlethorpe.com 09
Tuesday 10 July
Event 11 1.00pm – c.2.15pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £18.00
(concessions £16.00 | under 35s £5.00)
SOLLAZZO ENSEMBLE Yukie Sato, Perrine Devillers sopranos Vivien Simon tenor Sophia Danilevskaia fiddle Vincent Kibildis harp Anna Danilevskaia fiddle, artistic direction
DEL GLORIOSO TITOLO Heraldry in Song An enflamed chariot blazing across the sky, a serpent devouring a man, a woman clothed in rays of light … such are the images that colour the madrigals from the 14th-century Ars Nova. But these mythical themes conceal worldly content, representing the heraldic emblems of the most powerful families, or alluding to political events such as the Great Schism, when rival popes ruled simultaneously in Rome and Avignon. In this selection of pieces, Sollazzo Ensemble presents passionate language in verse and music to honour these powerful patrons of the arts.
HOW MANY POPES DOES IT TAKE …? Papal rivalries and the Great Schism of 1378-1417
‘a magical sound carpet of music’ BBC Music Magazine
The Great Schism was not the first or the only divide in Western Christendom, but it was the longest dispute about who was rightfully pope. As two and eventually three groups battled for supremacy representing Rome, Avignon and Pisa, all of Europe was drawn into the debate. The Council of Constance brought together the finest minds, and representatives of all the great authorities of Europe, to solve the problem. Presented by Pat Cullum, Principal Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Huddersfield.
www.sollazzoensemble.com
See also events 11 & 13
See also event 12
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Lecture Saver
Event 12 3.30pm – c.4.30pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £10.00
Tuesday 10 July Supported by Event 13 7.30pm – c.9.15pm Venue St Lawrence Church, Lawrence Street, off Hull Road Tickets Unreserved seating: £30.00
(concessions £28.00 | under 35s £5.00)
www.accor.com
LES HAULZ ET LES BAS Andrea Piccioni tamburello, tanmorra Christian Braun, David Yacus busine, trumpets, renaissance trombones Gesine Bänfer, Ian Harrison shawms, bagpipes Michael Metzler percussion
THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE A musical summit meeting The Council of Constance was probably the most important world event of the early 15th century, when sacred and secular authorities met to resolve the problem of having three rival popes. Kings, cardinals, nobles and bishops descended on the south-west German city,
bringing their courts, chapels and musicians with them, including medieval ‘loud bands’ of reeds, brass and percussion. This concert presents music by some of the international group of composers who met there, including Du Fay, Wolkenstein and Antonio Zachara de Teramo.
See also event 12 ‘the panache and improvisatory skills of this group are absolutely amazing’ Early Music Review www.alta-capella.com
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Wednesday 11 July
BRITTEN’S HERITAGE A celebration of Britain’s finest 20th century composer – whose love of early music helped to inspire us all! Lecture Saver
Event 14 10.00am – c.11.00am Venue Bedern Hall, Bedern Tickets Unreserved seating: £10.00
Event 15 12 noon – 4.00pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Unreserved seating: £25.00
including coffee & biscuits on arrival
including afternoon tea served at 2.00pm £20.00 if booked with event 16.
BRITTEN AND EARLY ENGLISH MUSIC Lisa Colton, Reader in Musicology at the University of Huddersfield, examines how Benjamin Britten not only brought early English music to the attention of 20th-century audiences through his settings of medieval carol texts and realisations of Purcell songs, but also incorporated this deep knowledge of an historically distant repertoire into his distinctly modern and personal soundworld.
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THE SIXTEEN INSIGHT DAY Whether you are new to the Choral Pilgrimage repertoire or want to expand your existing knowledge, Insight Days provide a fascinating exploration into the stories behind the music. Join singer and practical scholar Sally Dunkley and musicologist John Milsom for talks, debate and discussion, and discover the rich history behind the 2018 Choral Pilgrimage repertory in the company of a consort of Sixteen singers.
Wednesday 11 July Sponsored by Event 16 7.30pm – c.9.15pm Venue York Minster Tickets Reserved seating front nave: £30.00
Reserved seating rear nave: £23.00 Unreserved seating side aisles: £18.00 (students £5.00)
THE SIXTEEN directed by Harry Christophers
Britten
Hymn to the Virgin
Cornysh My love she mourneth Britten Hymn to Saint Cecilia Cornysh Salve Regina Britten Advance Democracy Cornysh Ave Maria, Mater Dei Cornysh Woefully array’d Cornysh Ah Robin, gentle Robin Britten Sacred and Profane
Four centuries separate William Cornysh and Benjamin Britten, two representatives of English music at its finest – or maybe three, as ‘Cornysh’ is actually two early 16th-century composers, quite possibly father and son! This concert looks at the way these composers mixed the sacred with the secular. While Cornysh’s sacred music is elaborate and rhythmically complicated, his secular music
is simple and subtly evocative. Britten makes constant demands on vocal artistry in Sacred and Profane, the last work he ever wrote for unaccompanied voices, choosing his medieval lyrics with great care to give a fascinating mixture of the devotional and the rumbustiously secular. ‘spine-shiveringly radiant from first to last’ The Times
Photo Simon Jay Price
SACRED AND PROFANE
www.thesixteen.com
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Thursday 12 July Lecture Saver
Event 17 10.00am – c.11.00am Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £10.00 including coffee & biscuits on arrival
GLORIANA AND AKBAR THE GREAT Patronage and the Arts The long, extraordinary, almost contemporaneous reigns of Emperor Akbar (r.1556-1605) and Queen Elizabeth 1 (r.1558-1603) have given us two of history’s most charismatic and colourful figures.
The end of Elizabeth and Akbar’s extensively chronicled reigns marked the birth of the momentous relationship between England and the Indian subcontinent.
This illustrated talk by Nima Poovaya-Smith, Director, Alchemy, explores how they provide astonishingly similar insights into the nature of patronage, power and the arts. See also event 19
Event 18 1.00pm – c.2.00pm Venue St Olave’s Church, Marygate Tickets Unreserved seating: £25.00 (concessions £23.00 | under 35s £5.00)
Nigel North & Michal Gondko lutes MUSICA DUORUM Lute duets from Renaissance Europe In the 16th century the lute was a princely instrument throughout Europe, heard at courts from London to Rome to Copenhagen, and lutenists were often privy to the political and private life at court. This concert presents lute duets by Francesco da Milano, John Johnson, John Dowland and others – music gentle and sublime enough to conquer even the sternest of hearts. ‘deft and fluid’ Early Music Today www.nigelnorth.com | www.michalgondko.info
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Thursday 12 July Event 19 7.30pm – c.8.45pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £25.00 (concessions £23.00 | under 35s £5.00)
HATHOR CONSORT Anne Freitag renaissance flute Thomas Baeté & Liam Fennelly viols Romina Lischka viol, director with Uday Bhawalkar Dhrupad vocals Pratap Awad pakhawaj
Supported by
DHRUPAD FANTASIA Gloriana and Akbar the Great A visionary bringing-in together of Hindustani raga-based improvisations and the polyphonic art-music of the English 16th-century court, in a wondrous ‘fancie’. Dhrupad is the oldest form of Hindustani classical vocal music, a tradition that goes back almost 2000 years but which in the 16th century developed into a highly appreciated art form.
Like Elizabethan consort music, it is intimate and meditative, and in this meeting of the two worlds, the inner reflections of both combine to create an entirely new sound in which the expressiveness of Dhrupad vocals joins with the instrumental eloquence of the viol consort.
Supported by
See also event 17 www.hathor-consort.eu
www.dtyork.doubletreebyhilton.com
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Friday 13 July Event 20 1.00pm – c.2.00pm Venue Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate Tickets Unreserved seating: £14.00
Event 21 5.00pm – c.6.15pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £18.00
(concessions £12.00 | under 35s £5.00)
(concessions £16.00 | under 35s £5.00)
PRISMA
BOXWOOD & BRASS
Franciska Anna Hajdu violin, voice Elisabeth Champollion recorder Alon Sariel lute, mandolin David Budai viola da gamba, folk viola
IL TRANSILVANO Music for a 16th-century Hungarian court In 1541 the Ottoman army besieged and conquered the city of Buda. The Hungarian royal family fled to Transylvania, where the court was safe from attack but cut off from other European cultural centres. Music formed an important bridge to the outside world: while the Italian organist Girolamo Diruta dedicated his 1593 collection Il Transilvano to the Prince of Transylvania, the rustic sounds of Hungarian and Romanian music made a strong impression on Italian composers. Here Prisma presents such pieces in the context of the styles they have learned from local traditional musicians still active in Hungary, Transylvania and Romania. www.prisma-music.eu
Rachel Chaplin, Nicola Barbagli oboes Emily Worthington, Fiona Mitchell clarinets Anneke Scott, Kate Goldsmith horns Robert Percival, Takako Kunugi bassoons Jacqueline Dossor double bass
DECLINE AND FALL Harmoniemusik from the twilight of the Holy Roman Empire Beethoven (arr. Starke and Percival) Egmont – Overture and Incidental Music Mozart (arr. Triebensee) La clemenza di Tito – excerpts Beethoven (arr. Anon 19th–century) Symphony No. 7 Harmoniemusik (wind music) was a favoured musical genre of the central European nobility in an era when cultural patronage was a means of displaying political power. This concert explores some of the most politically loaded music produced for the Harmonien at the time of the Napoleonic Wars and the decline of the Holy Roman Empire. Themes of tyranny, intrigue, freedom and revolution abound! ‘Boxwood & Brass’s sound is nothing short of revelatory’ Early Music Today www.boxwoodandbrass.co.uk
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Friday 13 July Concert by candlelight
Event 22 8.00pm – c.9.15pm Venue Chapter House, York Minster Tickets Unreserved seating: £30.00
(concessions £28.00 | under 35s £5.00)
YORKSHIRE BAROQUE SOLOISTS
Bethany Seymour soprano Nancy Cole, Helen Charlston mezzo sopranos Matthew Long, Ruari Bowen, Jonathan Hanley, Tom Kelly tenors Frederick Long, Nicholas Ashby basses Lucy Russell, Hetty Wayne violins Rachel Gray cello Lynda Sayce theorbo Peter Seymour organ, director
HEINRICH SCHÜTZ Celebration, invention and deprivation Schütz was the most gifted German composer of the 17th century. As with many of his colleagues, much of his music was shaped by the events of the Thirty Years War, during which composers remained astonishingly inventive in producing a wide variety of styles and textures in the face of great horrors and deprivations. Tonight’s all-Schütz concert ranges from solos, duets and heartfelt lamentations to more lavish music written for prince-electors and peace celebrations, and to the composer’s great masterpiece Musikalisches Exequien, a meditation on life and death composed for a private patron, but as relevant to nations as to individuals. ‘authority, discipline and integrity’ The Press www.yorkshirebaroquesoloists.org.uk
Viennese Delights Tickets £12.00 Join us for a glass of prosecco and Viennese afternoon tea between events 21 and 22 at the NCEM. Please note that there are just 50 tickets available so book early to avoid disappointment. 17
Saturday 14 July Over the past four years, the NCEM has been engaged in a partnership programme with colleagues in France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Romania and Slovenia entitled EEEmerging, which is funded through Creative Europe and is designed to support young emerging professional ensembles.
As the current funding draws to a close, we have decided to celebrate the success of the programme by showcasing five ensembles of particular note: Sollazzo Ensemble (see event 11), Prisma (see event 20) and the three groups featured here today: Rumorum, BarrocoTout and Voces Suaves.
Event 23 10.30am – c.11.30am Venue Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate Tickets Unreserved seating: £14.00
Event 24 1.00pm – c.2.00pm Venue NCEM, St Margaret’s Church Tickets Reserved seating: £14.00
(concessions £12.00 | under 35s £5.00)
(concessions £12.00 | under 35s £5.00)
Rumorum
BarrocoTout
Grace Newcombe voice, harp, direction Ozan Karagöz voice Félix Verry fiddle Jacob Mariani lute, viola d’arco Mara Winter flutes
Carlota Garcia flute Izana Soria violin Edouard Catalan cello Ganael Schneider harpsichord
Sollazzo were winners of the 2015 York International Young Artists Competition – BarrocoTout won in 2017. Ensembles thinking of applying for the Competition in 2019 are invited to find out more online at www.ncem.co.uk/youngartists2019
A JOURNEY THE TEMPLE OF GLAS OF DISCOVERY
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Before the Hundred Years War, English was the language of commoners, third in importance after French and Latin, without social or political clout, and unwelcome in artistic society. But the new role of French as the ‘sound of the enemy’ allowed English a proud resurgence, and by the war’s end Chaucer and Lydgate had raised it to true artistic legitimacy. Through poetry and song in English and French, Rumorum follows the wartime blossoming of a language as it finally gained political and artistic currency, from its late-14th-century roots to its acceptance in the most influential song forms of the 15th century.
BarrocoTout lead us on a discovery of Antwerp-born composer Henri-Jacques de Croes, said to have been one of the most important composers in the Low Countries during the 18th century. A witness to (and partaker in) the major changes in musical aesthetics that took place during his time, he produced music treading a path between French, Italian and German influences, an art that was courtly yet with enlightenment aspirations. The concert also includes music by the young Bruxellois virtuoso Pierre van Maldere, who later became the most admired symphonist of the Lowlands.
www.rumorum.com
www.barrocotout.com
Supported by Event 25 3.00pm – c.4.00pm Venue St Lawrence Church, Lawrence Street, off Hull Road Tickets Unreserved seating: £14.00
(concessions £12.00 | under 35s £5.00)
Voces Suaves
www.hotelindigo.com/York
Lia Andres, Mirjam Berli, Christina Boner sopranos Gabriel Jublin, Jan Thomer altos Dan Dunkelblum, Raphael Höhn tenors Tobias Wicky baritone Davide Benetti bass
Photo Bertrand Pichene
MADRIGALS AT YOUR SERVICE! The courts of Mantua and Ferrara Madrigals dedicated to the ruling families in two of the most influential musical centres in Italy during the Renaissance: the Gonzagas in Mantua, and the D’Estes in Ferrara. A special place is given to Giaches de Wert and his ‘political madrigals’ written for weddings and coronations at court, but the concert also includes music by three of the most illustrious musicians of the time: Marenzio, Luzzaschi and Monteverdi. www.voces-suaves.ch
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WORKSHOPS Saturday 7 July Event 10.00am – 4.00pm Venue York Cemetery Chapel, Cemetery Road Tickets £18.00 (students/observers £10.00)
Monday 9 July Event 10.00am – 4.00pm Venue Fairfax House, Castlegate, York Tickets £25.00 (£22.50, £20.00)
A Choral Workshop
A Workshop for Singers and Players of Renaissance Instruments
directed by Paul Gameson
MUSIC FOR TROUBLED TIMES
We return to the elegant surroundings of York Cemetery Chapel for a workshop featuring some of the choral music written during the period of the English Civil War. As well as exploring marching songs, we will be looking at sacred music from this troubled time, focusing on music by Richard Dering, organist to Queen Henrietta Maria, and Henry Lawes, loyal servant of Charles I. The workshop is open to all voices (SATB) with confident sight-reading skills. The music (in new editions by Paul Gameson) will be provided in advance. Details can be found at www.ncem.co.uk/choralworkshop18
led by John Bryan
KING DAVID & THE SOUND WORLD OF GRINLING GIBBONS King David: powerful politician, heroic leader, writer of the Psalms and inspiration for Grinling Gibbons’ exquisite seventeenth-century carving depicting The Performance of a Motet by Orlando di Lasso. He is a figure that has long-fascinated musicians, artists and sculptors alike. Taking Lasso’s setting of Psalms 148 and 150 as the focus, this workshop for singers and players of renaissance instruments with confident sight reading, directed by John Bryan, will recreate the heavenly music depicted in this masterpiece, at the same time exploring the Sound World of Grinling Gibbons, and the instruments and music that gave both inspiration and form to his work. To book contact Fairfax House on 01904 655543/ www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk/whats-on
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Diary Dates
National Centre for Early Music, York Tuesday 24 April | 7.30pm
Saturday 5 May 12.30pm, 3.00pm, 7.00pm
Music by Froberger, Goldberg, Bach and Handel
Music by Telemann, Schubert, Mozart and Haydn
£25.00 (£23.00 concessions, £5.00 under 35)
Day ticket: £39.00 (£34.00 concessions, £7.00 students)
Trevor Pinnock University of York & Friends Baroque Day
A EUROPEAN GRAND TOUR Join us in the beautiful county town of Beverley
Guests include In Echo; Exaudi; Ashley Solomon and The 24. Tickets available now: www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
DISCOVER ALL OUR DISCOUNTS Lecture Saver Ticket £98.00 (£92.00)
Ticket £40.00
Buy a saver ticket covering events 1, 3, 4 & 7 and save £10.00
Buy a saver ticket covering events 2, 8, 12, 14 & 17 and save £10.00.
£5 OFFER If you are under 35 you can purchase £5.00 tickets. Call the Box Office 01904 658338 or book online. When collecting tickets please bring photo ID which will be checked as proof of age. More info at www.ncem.co.uk/U35
Please note that these savings are subject to availability so book early to avoid disappointment. Discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. 21
HOW TO BOOK The National Centre for Early Music St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL Box Office: 01904 658338 Email: boxoffice@ncem.co.uk www.ncem.co.uk/yemf Booking opens on Monday 26 February to NCEM Patrons, to YEMF Friends on Wednesday 28 February, and to the public on Monday 5 March. Tickets are available to buy online, by telephone, by post or in person and are also available to print at home.
Reservations Tickets can be reserved but must be paid for within three working days, and at least 24 hours prior to the performance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the venue immediately prior to the performance.
In person: The NCEM box office is open Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm. The Box Office entrance is on Percy’s Lane which is just off Navigation Road, running parallel to Walmgate.
Concession prices Where applicable, these apply to over 65s, under 16s, full-time students, those in receipt of means-tested benefits and audience members who have disabilities.
Online: Visit our web site at tickets.ncem.co.uk and use the secure online booking service. Tickets are also available online as Print at Home Tickets. By telephone: Please contact the box office on 01904 658338. There is a nonrefundable £1.50 administration charge per transaction made online or by telephone. There is an additional 50p charge for tickets sent via second class post. By post: Please send your order to the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL enclosing a large SAE. Cheques should be made payable to: National Centre for Early Music. Email: Simply email your enquiry to boxoffice@ncem.co.uk
Group discounts The NCEM welcomes group bookings. If you buy 10 tickets (full price or concessions) there is a 20% discount off the total amount. Saver Tickets See page 21 Refunds and Exchanges We regret that refunds can only be given if the concert is sold out and we are able to resell the ticket. Please note that there will be a 10% administration charge.
Access The Festival offers a warm welcome to everyone. The NCEM is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with level access to the foyer and concert space, suitable toilets, designated parking and welcomes registered assistance dogs. If you have any access requirements, please let us know at the time of booking. The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved Business. To ensure that the entire community can access our events, we offer a complimentary ticket to an essential personal assistant. To qualify, please join our access scheme or have a valid CredAbility Access Card with the +1 symbol. Full details can be found online or in person, and can also be requested by e-mailing boxoffice@ncem.co.uk Registered assistance dogs are welcome at concerts.
Friends Saver Ticket £338.00 (£310.00) Save £32.00 by purchasing your Friends Saver Ticket covering events 1, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25 The Friends enjoy additional discounts, priority booking, reserved seating (where practical) and good company. Email friends@ncem.co.uk or visit www.ncem.co.uk/friends.
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MAP OF VENUES The NCEM is based within St Margaret’s Church, to the east of the city, off Walmgate. The NCEM is accessible by car, bus, foot or bike. Parking is available in the Peel Street car park (off George Street). York is less than two hours’ train journey from London King’s Cross and is on direct train lines to Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester.
Sc ar bo
ro ug h
York Early Music Festival prides itself on utilising a variety of York’s beautiful, historic buildings. Some of these venues are quirky. All of them are accessible and chosen to enhance the visitor’s experience of this picturesque city.
sk
Bootham Bar
11
4 Be der n
St
An dr
ewg ate
6
York Railway Station
i t y Rd
UNIVERSITY OF YORK
Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, Follow signs for the University of York
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7
s Univer
Monk Bar
York Minster N
Sainsbury’s Green d Dykes R
hir
A6
9T
4
A1
Morrisons 3
Travis Perkins
Ave rth No
2
Waitrose
et Stre
8
t Mill S
A1
079
Castle Museum nR d
11
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bica
To
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ive
rsi
of
Yo
rk
ry R d
ty
Cem
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National Centre for Early Music, Walmgate YO1 9TL Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, Fossgate YO1 9XD Unitarian Chapel, St Saviourgate YO1 8NQ Bedern Hall, Bedern YO1 7AL York Minster Nave and Chapter House YO1 7JN St Michael le Belfrey Church, High Petergate YO1 7EN St Olave’s Church, Marygate, YO30 7BZ Fairfax House, Castlegate, YO1 9RN
9
Hu
Bar
A19
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Walmgate Bar
1
Clifford’s Tower
A6 4
Le
ed
s
Micklegate Bar
WE ARE HERE
Ho pe St
Str ee t
se Ou River
Pr ior y
Percy’s Ln
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9 St Lawrence Church, Hull Road YO10 3WP 10 York Cemetery Chapel, Cemetery Road, York YO10 5AJ 11 Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall, University of York YO10 5DD
VISITOR INFORMATION The NCEM warmly recommends a number of York hotels. Visit www.ncem.co.uk/hotels for details. York Visitor Information Centre offers help with accommodation. Tel 01904 550099 or email info@visityork.org
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Box office 01904 658338 ncem.co.uk/yemf
York Early Music Festival is administered by the National Centre for Early Music through the York Early Music Foundation – registered charity number 1068331. All details are correct at the time of going to press but the Festival reserves the right to make alterations to the published programme if necessary.
Design: RedBonsai.co.uk
HIGHLIGHTS Brecon Baroque | Gallicantus | Sollazzo Ensemble Paolo Pandolfo | Theatre of the Ayre | Les haulz et les bas The Sixteen | Nigel North | Hathor Consort Creative Europe EEEmerging Showcase featuring: Prisma | Rumorum | BarrocoTout | Voces Suaves