Concertzender Newsletter

Editorial

Editorial: Erring through October

You’ve seen it coming for the last 4 weeks: the ‘r’ is in the month (let’s leave out september). And in the Concertzender, as a matter of fact. The R of rest and reflection. Or the area of relaxation between the Early Music festival/Gaudeamus and November Music/Le Guess Who? So, a relaxed newsletter, but with news about the Organs of Arp Schnitger, and devils falling in love. And about Oliver Knussen, our ravishing composer of the month.

This summer we asked you to tell us what you thought of us. We had some nice responses and your committment to and appreciation of the Concertzender warmed our hearts and gave us a supportive feeling. We’re rewarding one respondent from the Walloon (!) with the standard work about Russian music by Arthur Olof. For everyone else: there’s another CD to be won this month.

The Concertzender consists of support and donations and from charity work and especially from old paper. We have piles of it, programme forms in which makers, coordinators, technicians and presenters make daily adjustments until you hear the results, live via the radio or whenever you want via our app or website. See you next month!

Thema: Contemporary Music

Genre: Opera

20the century opera: The devil falls in love

Russian composer Alexander Vustin (1943) is virtually unknown, with a small oeuvre. But his only opera The Devil falls in Love is an exception. Vustin wrote the opera on the basis of a libretto by Vladimir Khachaturov, who was inspired by the similarly titled work by the 16th century French writer Jacques Cazotte.

opera Vustin took 15 years for it and completed the work in 1989. The plot is about Alvare, who appeals together with his two friends for the devil. He responds and appears, firstly as a camel, then as gundog and finally as the lovely Biondetta (which means: an attractive blonde). Alvare wants to marry her but first wants to introduce her to his mother. On the way there they stop at a wedding where they’re taken for a couple and are given a double room in the hotel. Once there Biondetta takes her mask off to remind him of her true identity.

The opera was premiered this year (15th February 2019) in the Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko Theater in Moscow. There are no recording or videos available.

Listen?
As far as we’re concerned: as soon as possible!

every weekday until 6th November 2019

Thema: Contemporary Music

Genre: Modern Music

Composer of the month: Oliver Knussen

While shooting a documentary about the London Symphony Orchestra, the English ITV channel encounters the bassoonist describing his very talented son. The rest is history: the 15 year old gets to premiere his recently composed symphony in London and New York and stumbles upon the world stage. In Composer of the Month your attention please for Oliver Knussen.

Our own Emanuel Overbeeke has put together a programme covering Knussen’s whole musical career and also covers his conducting. You can hear the orchestral work Flourish with Fireworks (1993), Knussen’s Horn concerto (1994) and Knussen’s performance of the Orchestral Variations by Igor Stravinsky from 1961.

After his early discovery Knussen (1952-2018) kept his open, playful and unrestrained look at the world. That also applies to his contribution to contemporary music, which he combined with forms from the Renaissance and the early Middle Ages. He wrote pieces in the style of the early medieval Organum, among them one for the anniversary of the Schönberg ensemble and a Fantasie paraphrasing his countryman Purcell.

Theme: Early Music

Genre: Organ Music

The organs of Arp Schnitger

This month, Orgelwerk, Concertzender’s programme featuring organ music presents a series of live concerts from the festival Schnitger Meets, which was held in the province of Groningen last august.

The festival focused of the 300 anniversary of the famous organ builder Arp Schnitger (1648-1719), who was active in the Groningen area and surroundings. The festival drew a large and worldwide crowd of listeners, organ teachers and students as well. Concertzender registered quite a few concerts, which will be broadcast the coming months. Actually, the premiere – the festival’s opening night concert – has already been aired on the Concertzender’s Organ works episode of 8 september.

Want to listen more?
The next episode is on Sunday 13 october at 16:00 hrs.

before 20th October 2019

Theme: Classical Music

Prize quiz

Last month we asked you who Louis Andriessen wrote his work To Pauline O for. The answer: for the Dutch hobo player Pauline Oostenrijk. Three entrants from Driebergen, Leeuwarden and Purmerend will receive the prize cd of music by Louis Andriessen for small ensembles. Congratulations!

This month we’re taking a different approach. The question: for which instrument did Antonín Dvořák write his ‘Klid’? Please send in your answers to Concertzender’s one and only Prize draw before October 20th.

You can win the Dvorák Album by Yo-Yo Ma, The New York Philhamonic conducted by Kurt Masur & The Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Seiji Ozawa. Appeared on Sony Classical [SK 92858].

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