Oxford Chamber Music Festival 2019 - Scandinavia: From Hygge to Fire and Ice

SJE Arts Sheldonian Theatre Holywell Music Room Christ Church Cathedral University Church Divinity School Convocation House Phoenix Picturehouse

'...a world-class gathering by any standards' Time Out 'Truly festive, different and distinctive, a closely guarded secret with exhilarating atmosphere and artistry' The Daily Telegraph 'An event of national rather than merely local significance' The Independent

We are proud in helping the OCMF magic to materialise!

Robin Swailes Design and Development

A very warm welcome to the festival programme!

Through the fjords and forests of Scandinavia, full of mythology, legend and song, we embark this year on a musical journey deeply connected to the purest sounds of nature, folk music and the majestic landscapes of the north with its endless horizons. Our festival artists in 2019 are almost exclusively Scandinavian and bring with them all the cultural authenticity of interpretation that this special programme demands.

You are warmly invited to experience the unique OCMF atmosphere and hear this world class gathering between 8-12 October in atmospheric and unusual venues all around Oxford.

Scandinavia embodies ideals and surprising paradoxes, where the fire and ice at the heart of its music live alongside a sense of Hygge and community – this is what a true festival spirit represents!

We look forward very much to you being part of this and seeing all our OCMF friends again in the Autumn.

Priya Mitchell Artistic Director

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER PHOENIX PICTUREHOUSE, 8 pm £11.60/10.60/7.10

FESTIVAL FRINGE: FILM SCREENING '4' by Daniel Kutschinski A riveting tale of creation and destruction, struggle and friendship, as told by the Quatuor Ebène, one of the world’s most exciting string quartets.

Discussion with the director Daniel Kutschinski and festival musicians after the film screening.

Los Angeles Documentary Film Festival 2015 – Best Documentary Award

'One of the finest, most sensitive films ever conceived about music' LuĂ­s Gago, El PaĂ­s 'Watching 4 we encounter a tenderness that can only characterise a sensitive love story' Yvonne Petitpierre, Deutschlandfunk

TUESDAY 8 OCTOBER SJE ARTS, 7.45 pm | ÂŁ 25

SCANDI NOIR TORD GUSTAVSEN TRIO Tord Gustavsen piano Jarle Vespestad drums Ellen Brekken bass OCMF 2019 gets off to an exciting start with the internationally celebrated Norwegian pianist/composer Tord Gustavsen, whose distinctive, mesmerising chamber jazz has produced a hugely successful series of albums for the ECM label.

With 2018's The Other Side he returned to the trio format with long-time collaborator Vespestad and bassist Brekken, blending his trademark emotional intensity, subtle rhythmic grooves, and his own memorable melodic gift, with Norwegian folk tunes and the Lutheran chorales of J S Bach.

'This trio's ability to capture doubt, joy and anxiety in a few notes is breathtaking.'

Downbeat

WEDNESDAY 9 OCTOBER SHELDONIAN THEATRE, 2 PM | Free

CHILDREN'S CONCERT

A concert aimed at children featuring celebrated Scandinavian repertoire, Norse readings by Siân Grønlie, Fairy Tales and Folk songs. Book your free ticket via Tickets Oxford box office Carrasco Hjelm | Marmen | Mitchell | Pensola | Sundqvist | Thomsen | Ticciati | Tikkanen | Vaernes

presented in partnership with d’Overbroeck's

SKOGEN KITCHEN, 4.45 - 6.25 PM | £18 for two course menu SCANDINAVIAN SMÖRGÅSBORD - book info@skogen.kitchen

SHELDONIAN THEATRE, 6.45 PM | £5 or Free with 7.45 PM concert ticket

SUMMER NIGHTS & WINTER STORMS

This talk by Professor Daniel Grimley introduces Sibelius’s life and work and locates him within the artistic and cultural contexts of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Finland and Scandinavia.

His recurrent themes and preoccupations will be explored alongside his relationship with broader European culture and aesthetics.

SHELDONIAN THEATRE, 7.45 PM | £40/30/15

SCANDINAVIAN SMÖRGÅSBORD

A gala concert to celebrate the rich flavours of our week of Scandinavian music: world-famous pieces

by Grieg and Sibelius, and beautiful intense new music from our composer in residence.

Sibelius Andante Festivo arr. for 2 string quartets | Sibelius Humoresque and Devotion | Larsson Sicilienne | Kraggerud Mantra Metamorphoses (World Premiere) | Atterberg Suite no. 3 for violin, viola and string orchestra | Bjarnason Air to Breath for solo cello and strings | Gade Tango Jalousie | Nielsen Intermezzo: a waltz | Grieg Solveig’s Song | Grieg Holberg Suite Aasgaard | Carrasco Hjelm | Kraggerud | Marmen | Mitchell | Pensola | Sundqvist | Thedéen | Thomsen | Ticciati | Tikkanen | L.A. Tomter | Vaernes | Zawadzki

Concert sponsored by Robin Swailes

RECEPTION AT THE VAULTS with encores for Friends and Sponsors. Invite only, e-mail louise.hughes@ocmf.net

THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER HOLYWELL MUSIC ROOM, 1 PM | £15

MALINCONIA: DARK LANDS

The darker depths of the Scandinavian character are turned upside down by Grieg's explosive and exhilarating quartet, based on his song Fiddlers Sibelius Valse Triste for piano solo | Sibelius Malinconia for cello and piano Ole Bull La Melancholie | Grieg Spoillemaend (Fiddlers) song Grieg String quartet no. 1 in G minor op. 27 Fetherstonhaugh | Kärkkäinen | Kraggerud | Tikkanen | C. Tomter | L.A. Tomter | Vaernes

HOLYWELL MUSIC ROOM, 5.15 PM | £5 or Free with 6pm concert ticket

GRIEG: MUSIC, LANDSCAPE AND NORWEGIAN IDENTITY Prof Daniel Grimley lectures on Grieg's musical contribution, focusing in particular on his response to landscape.

HOLYWELL MUSIC ROOM, 6 PM | £15

I886: A SCANDINAVIAN LOVE STORY

Henning Kraggerud takes us on a unique journey, narrating a gripping true love story through words and music, which includes extracts from the great romantic violin sonatas

by Grieg, Brahms and Franck.The performance also reveals a secret in Svendsen's Oneminute musical love letter (UK premiere).

Kraggerud | Shirinyan

Concert sponsored by Anne Marie Joffrin

HOLYWELL MUSIC ROOM, 8 PM | £22

VOCES INTIMAE

One of Sibelius's very greatest works, coupled with one of Schubert's with its intriguing Swedish bloodline.

Kraggerud Preghiera | Sibelius string quartet ‘Voces Intimae’ | Isak Berg folk-song setting, 'Se solen sjunker' on which Schubert based the second movement of his trio Schubert Piano trio no 2 in Eb major Kraggerud | Kärkkäinen | Mitchell | Shirinyan | Thedéen | Ticciati | L.A. Tomter | Vertavo Quartet

FRIDAY I I OCTOBER CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, 1 PM | £15

MAGICAL FOREST AND THE MOUNTAIN KING

Musical alchemy as we blend baroque bounce with modern fire, by way of Berwald's classical wit, awe-inspiring Nielsen and Grieg's immortal masterpiece depicting the globetrotting Norwegian peasant, Peer Gynt.

Telemann Overture Les Suedois anciens / Les Danois modernes Roman Asaggi no 3 in G minor for solo violin | Nielsen Chaconne op. 32 Alfven The Forest Sleeps for violin and piano Grieg from Peer Gynt suite for piano-four-hands | Berwald Septet Aasgaard | Carrasco Hjelm | Kärkkäinen | Marmen | Mitchell | Pensola | Shirinyan | Sundqvist | Ticciati | Tikkanen | L. A. Tomter

CONVOCATION HOUSE 7.30 PM | £22

ARCTIC CIRCLES

A concert full of surprising musical and emotional connections. Here are circles of time; a moving meditation on early death; a surging, overflowing romantic epic, and a glimpse of the eternal.

Handel/ Halvorsen Passacaglia | Dowland The King of Denmark's Galliard | Nielsen Ved en Ung Kunstners Baare – At the bier of a young artist | Brustad 3 capricci | Cantus Arcticus improvisation | Svendsen string octet in A major, op. 3 Carrasco Hjelm | Kraggerud | Marmen | Mitchell | Pensola | Sundqvist | Thedéen | Ticciati | Tikkanen | L. A.Tomter | Vaernes | Vertavo Quartet

UNIVERSITY CHURCH, 10:45 PM | £10 or Free for 8-25 year olds

LATE NIGHT CONCERT: MIDNIGHT SUN

Join us after dark, for two luminous Finnish night-pieces, and three great Danes – Jens Sondergaard, whose wildly colourful paintings we show with contemporary composer Karsten Fundal's atmospheric flute score; and Hamlet's Ophelia.

Sibelius Nocturne for flute and strings | Brahms Ophelia Lieder WoO22 | Shostakovich Ophelia’s song Saariaho Nocturne | Fundal Farvekraft (Colour power) for flute and bass flute, with projections of the paintings which inspired the music, by the Danish expressionist Jens Sondergaard Aasgaard | Carrasco Hjelm | Mitchell | Pensola | Shirinyan | Ticciati | Tikkanen | Thedéen | Thomsen | C. Tomter | Vaernes

SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER UNIVERSITY CHURCH, 1PM | £15 *

NORSE LEGENDS

Grieg Lyric pieces and song transcriptions for solo piano | Grieg cello sonata op.36 Sibelius En Saga arr. for strings and winds

Carrasco Hjelm | Fethersonhaugh | Kärkkäinnen | Marmen | Mitchell | Pensola | Shirinyan | Sundqvist | Thedéen | Ticciati | Tikkanen

UNIVERSITY CHURCH, 3.30PM | £15 *

EQUINOX

Since the 17th century, philosophers, theorists and composers have argued over the intrinsic characters of different musical keys, and over their surprising links to time and space.These ideas inspired Henning Kraggerud and the world-famous author Jostein Gaarder (Sophie's World) to collaborate on Equinox.

'Kraggerud's Prom encore [of Equinox's 10th postlude] opened a window on a magical world' BBC Music Magazine Hammond | Kraggerud

THE OLD LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY CHURCH, 6.30PM | £15 *

ANCIENT FORCES: SCANDIC FOLKLORE

The Lodestar Trio is an exciting collaboration between Max Baillie and two stars of the Scandinavian folk scene: Erik Rydvall on a Swedish Nyckelharpa and Olav Mjelva on a Norwegian hardanger fiddle.

The trio explores the links between Folk and Baroque music and has featured on Classic FM, BBC Radio 3 and Norwegian Radio.

Lodestar Trio

UNIVERSITY CHURCH, 7.45PM | £22

YGGDRASIL:THE TREE OF LIFE

Concert in support of Greta Thunberg and XR Yggdrasil is the tree of life, an eternally green ash tree whose branches connect the nine worlds of Norse mythology, and stretch up into the heavens. Our closing concert is a celebration – of humanity's deep connections to our fragile and delicate ecosystem, perfectly summed up in the legend of Yggdrasil, and inspirationally defended by a global movement growing out of Sweden, and connecting people across continents.

Schubert Octet in F major, D803 | Lodestar Trio join forces with Festival artists to include improvisation around ancient Swedish ballads, Finnish tango, and some rocking arrangements of Danish folk tunes.

Carrasco Hjelm | Lodestar Trio | Mitchell | Pensola | Shirinyan | Sundqvist | Ticciati | Tikkanen | Thedéen | L. A. Tomter

Oxford Chamber Music Festival is delighted to collaborate with Skogen Kitchen to offer a pre-concert supper on Wednesday 9th October 4.45pm Tables available(closing time 6.25pm) 6.45pm Pre-concert talk at Sheldonian 7.45pm Concert Scandinavian Smörgåsbord at Sheldonian Come and enjoy a taste of Sweden with our special Smörgåsbord pre-concert supper, full of interesting flavours and artisan products from Sweden.

Smörgåsbord platter

Herring, home-cured gravadlax, toast Skagen, beetroot salad, Västerbotten cheese, roast gammon, pickles and rye bread and butter.

Vegetarian platter

Västerbotten pie, beetroot salad, wild mushroom toast, caramelised goats cheese and pepper salad, pickles and rye bread and butter.

Warm kladdkaka, whipped cream or apple cake and vanilla sauce

Two courses for £18.00

BOOKING

Early booking essential, please select menu and any dietary requirements when booking. E-mail info@skogen.kitchen

Join OCMF artists and staff at our Festival partners the Vaults and Garden cafe after the evening concerts on Thursday 10th, Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October.

Two course menu for £18 from their seasonal, organic and ethically produced ingredients. Pre-booking essential via 01865 279112 or events@thevaultsandgarden.com Expected timings for dinner : 10th Oct c. 10pm, 11th Oct c. 9.30pm, 12th Oct c. 9.45pm You can also enjoy a cream tea on Saturday 12th October 2.30-6pm for only £5 with any of the afternoon concerts. Simply present your concert ticket to cafe staff when paying to receive the discount.

O x f o r d sh i r e R e st a u r a n t A w a r d s 2 0 1 6 & 2 0 1 7 ‘ T h e m o st su st a i n a b l e r e st a u r a n t i n O x f o r d sh i r e ’ T op 3 C af e s i n O x f or d 2 0 1 8

OCMF ARTISTS VIOLIN

Henning Kraggerud Johannes Marmen Priya Mitchell Minna Pensola Paula Sundqvist Hugo Ticciati Antti Tikkanen

VIOLA

Lars Anders Tomter Henning Kraggerud Antti Tikkanen

CELLO

Jonathan Aasgaard Torleif Thedéen Bjorg Vaernes

DOUBLE BASS Jordi Carrasco Hjelm

FLUTE

Janne Thomsen

CLARINET

Christoffer Sundqvist

PIANO

Marianna Shirinyan Heini Kärkkäinen Tom Fetherstonhaugh

VOICE

Cecilia Tomter Alice Zawadzki

SPEAKERS

Prof. Daniel Grimley Siân Grønlie Graham Topping

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE Henning Kraggerud

VERTAVO QUARTET Øyvor Volle | Annabelle Meare Berit Cardas | Bjørg Vaernes

LODESTAR FOLK TRIO

Max Baillie | Olav Mjelva Erik Rydvall

TORD GUSTAVSEN TRIO Tord Gustavsen Jarle Vespestad Ellen Brekken

'...but musicians paint their pictures on silence' Leopold Stokowski, conductor

we wish OCMF great success and inspired painting!

HENNING KRAGGERUD COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud is Artistic Director of the Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra.

A prolific composer, Kraggerud’s largest-scale work to date is entitled Equinox: 24 Postludes in All Keys for Violin and String Orchestra. Commissioned, premiered and recorded by the Arctic Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra with Henning as soloist, the work was composed as a musical counterpart to a story specially written by world-famous author Jostein Gaarder, and has been hailed as “a fascinating composition to return to over and over again” (MusicWeb International).

'Kraggerud is outstanding, sultry and incisive by turns in a smart work which deserves to be a popular classic.'

The Arts Desk

'Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.'

ADVERT Gustav Mahler

We are proud to support the Oxford Chamber Music Festival and of our ongoing partnership

SUPPORT OCMF AND RECEIVE DISCOUNTED TICKETS AND PRIORITY BOOKING FRIEND £50 Invitation to Festival Friends reception | 10% ticket discount | Priority booking ahead (joint membership £75) of general public | E-mail newsletters throughout the year | Name on OCMF website | Opportunity to buy 1 Festival Pass (single) and 2 Festival Passes (double) allowing access to all Festival concerts SUPPORTER £100 As above plus: Invitation to Friends Concerts (joint membership £150) AFICIONADO £250 As above plus: Invitation to exclusive receptions at the Festival concerts | Opportunity (joint membership £375) to buy 3 Festival Passes allowing access to all Festival concerts PATRON £500 As above plus: Listed in advance publicity, as well as in the Festival brochure (Patron and above is automatic joint membership) ANGEL £1000 As above plus: Invitation to closing dinner with the Festival Artists GUARDIAN from £2000 Finance an education project with a local community Sponsor a Festival artist

Sign up at www.ocmf.net or at our Friends desk at each Festival performance

OCMF PATRONS AND TRUSTEES PRESIDENT

Alan Rusbridger

TRUSTEES

Nicky Brown William Pouget Robert Warner

PATRONS AND SPONSORS Barnsbury Charitable Trust | Kathleen Trust | Bishopsdown Trust | Mr & Mrs JA Pye's Charitable Settlement | Hugo & Mary Rose Brunner | Park Hill Charitable Trust | Oliver & Rosie Ticciati | Pratima Mitchell | Graham & Hilary Laurie | Mark & Georgie Rowse | Jo Lane | The Kenyon-Gewirtz Family | Beate Howitt | Christopher Scott | James Malcomson | Duncan Hinnells | Emma Chamberlain | Sam & Debbie Laidlaw | Philip & Jude Pullman | Rosie Pearson | University Church

CREDITS Cover © AdobeStock | Inner Cover © Serinyà, galleriduerr.com | Mitchell © Balász Böröcz | Page 2&3 © 4-thefilm.com | Page 4&5 Tord Gustavsen Trio © Hans Fredrick Asbjørnsen | Page 6&7 Vinternatt © Harald Sohlberg | Page 8&9 Henning Kraggerud © Kaupo Kikkas | Page 10&11 Moonrise © Eilif Peterssen | Page 12 Evening glow & Page13 Fisherman's cottage © Harald Sohlberg | Page 14 Carrasco Hjelm @ Carrasco Hjelm | Page 17 Kraggerud © Kauppo Kikkas | Page 18&20 Wood @ AdobeStock | Layout and Design © Hanne Abendroth, OCMF Information in this brochure is correct at time of going to press.

OCMF reserves the right to change the advertised dates, times, programme and artists without notice.

'Music is liquid architecture' Johann Wolfgang von Goethe We proudly support OCMF and wish an inspiring, joyful celebration of music 2019!

TICKET BOOKING All concert bookings: Tickets Oxford 01865 305305 | www.ticketsoxford.com Free events should also be booked through Tickets Oxford in order to secure a place, or on the door if there is still availability.

'4' film screening: Phoenix Picturehouse Box Office 0871 902 5747 (calls cost 13p per minute plus your telephone company's access charge) | this event is not included in the Festival Pass Festival Pass ÂŁ145 allowing discounted access to all events Friends 10% discount, priority booking and invites to receptions.

Membership from ÂŁ50. Code required when booking.

Free tickets for 8-25 year olds (inclusive). Limited number per concert.

E-mail cavatina@ocmf.net to reserve

For full information www.ocmf.net

'The festival is a national treasure' Philip Pullman