Concertzender Newsletter

Editorial

April newsletter

Easter means Bach. But in addition: in the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ there are three special concerts next week, including the St John Passion by Heinrich Schütz.

In this newsletter we look forward to the forthcoming edition of the Early Music Festival , themed around Neapolitan musical life. Part 1 takes us back to the Middle Ages. And in a new series about 20th century operas we’re focussing on a hidden jewel from opera history.

Have you always wanted to know how the Concertzender works? Now’s your chance, because mid-May three listeners are welcome at the special 100th broadcast of Roel Janssen’s Space Exposure. Faithful followers of the Palace of Melancholy can enjoy the story of Peggy Lee. There is so much to hear(and read!) on the Concertzender. Enjoy! And Happy Easter.

17th, 18th and 19th April 2019

Theme: Early Music

Easter on the IJ

In the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ over the Easter weekend there are a number of special concerts:

Weds 17th April – Capella Mariana
Thurs 18th April – Cafe Zimmermann + Vox Luminis
Fri 19th April – Ragazza Quartet + Paul van Tongeren

Capella Mariana
In a lovely Easter concert abou the St John Passion by Heinrich Schutz you can hear the origins of Bach’s Passions. The splendid Czech Cappella Mariana specialises in polyphonic Renaissance song and is the perfect performer for the rich harmonies and deep drama of Schütz.

Cappella Mariana is notable for their beautiful tone and the quality of individual voices. Together the St John Passion and the Cantiones sacrae by the most important Lutheran composer before Bach make a lovely dramatic whole. The listener is taken deep into the time of suffering during this concert.

Monday 15th April 2019

Theme: Early Music

New Documento series: Naples

The next edition of the Early Music Festival (FOM) is a few months away, but we’re giving a preview. On Monday 15th April the Concertzender is starting a series of four Documento’s, dedicated to Naples, this year the central theme of the FOM. For centuries Naples was one of the greatest European cities, a cultural leader. The city has a rich musical history. In Documento we’re going through the musical history of Naples, from the Middle Ages to the 18th century.

Part 1 covers Neapolitan Music from the Middle Ages by composers such as Adam de la Halle, Philippe de Vitry and Antonello da Caserta.

Broadcast:
Documento - Naples part 1, the Middle Ages
Monday 15th April 2019, 19:00 – 20:00

Brockes-Passion in Concertzender Live
When they hear ”Passion“ Music lovers naturally think of Bach’s St Matthew and St John’s Passions. However Georg Friedrich Händel wrote great Passion music of which his Passion, to texts by contemporary Barthold Heinrich Brockes, is his best known.

Theme: Opera

Unfurled- Antony and Cleopatra…and Samuel Barber: Opera in the 20th Century

Today it’s about Samuel Barber’s third and last opera Antony and Cleopatra (op. 40). The story is based on the play of the same name by Shakespeare about the relationship between Anthony and Cleopatra against the historical background of the Roman-Persian Wars. Librettist Franco Zefferelli as always gave it a nice twist. That was necessary as Barber got the commission for the opening of the ‘Metropolitan Opera House’ in the Lincoln Center in New York in 1966.

Opera The première did not go well and the reviews were scathing. With the help of his partner Gian Carlo Menotti, himself a gifted opera composer, he rewrote the piece both musically and textwise. Menotti had already written the libretto for Barber’s first opera ‘Vanessa’ (1958). The revised opera finally got its second première in 1975 conducted by Menotti.

This opera doesn’t get much attention, although qua music and text this work, performed against a well-known historical background and often with stunning decors, is a jewel from late 20th century opera history.

Theme: Contemporary Music

Composer of the month: Olivier Messiaen

In April 2019, the Concertzender is broadcasting a number of programmes featuring the music of a man who was once referred to as a modern medieval man: Olivier Messiaen. However, the words ‘modern’ and ‘medieval’ only partly describe his oeuvre.

He was also a fantastic musician, had a complete disregard for the boundary between art and kitsch, was able to put the same feeling for the magical in both his religious and profane music and was never part of any popular musical trend. His music is both fascinating and timeless. An hour is scarcely enough time for even a first impression. However, that is not a problem as there is so much more to discover.

Broadcast:
Messiaen composer of the month

Saturdays 4th and 18th May 2019

Theme: Jazz

Silent seduction: Peggy Lee & the art of omission

Her voice was labelled with such terms as smoky or breathy, sensual to the highest degree. Jazz author Leonard Feather remarked “If you don’t feel a thrill when Peggy Lee sings, you’re dead, Jack.”

Peggy Lee Remarkably she managed to accomplish an enormous amount with, what was in fact, a small voice. She had learned how to turn a weakness into a strength early on. Just by singing even softer she would manage to get the attention of the audience and could give a large concert hall the allure of an intimate nightclub. She has said about the singing trade that it’s secret to the true art form is to leave out all but the essence.

Unlike some singers nowadays Peggy Lee did not need to resort to dressing scantily and sashaying around the stage in order to get attention.

It is striking that Peggy Lee did not just become one of the very greatest in pop-culture, she is the only female singer to have had top ten hits in the 40s, 50s and 60s (with songs such as Fever and It’s a Good Day) but that she also managed to achieve the same feat in jazz music.

Theme: Crosslinks

Seeking Space Explorers: join us for a live broadcast on 19 May

100th episode of Space Exposure

The 100th episode of Space Exposure is on Sunday 19th May. To celebrate this milestone, Roel Janssen presents a special two-hour long programme from 19:00 to 21:00 CET, which means there is no Sensenta on that day. The first hour features the best music from the four years of Space Exposure, the second hour is the ‘regular’ programme with the latest IDM, experimental techno, electronics, ambient, drum ‘n’ bass, rave and instrumental hiphop.

Three of our listeners can be present in the studio in Utrecht during the broadcast. Send an e-mail to roel.janssen@concertzender.nl and maybe you will be among the ‘chosen ones’.

Broadcast:
Sunday 19th May from 19:00 tot 22:00 CET.

before 1st May 2019

Theme: Classical Music

CD Prize draw

The competition question in March was: Pierre de la Rue (Van Straten) worked at the court chapel of Philip the Beautiful. After Philip’s death, who took over the chapel? The correct answer was Joanna of Castile, who was also known as ‘Joanna the Mad’.

The winner of the CD is F. de Vries from Amsterdam.

This month’s question:
This month’s question is about Franz Schubert: When did he compose his Schwanengesang and what was the title of this work? The prize the month – you probably had guessed it already – is the CD Schwanengesang D.957 & Piano sonata D. 960, performed by Matthias Goerne, baritone and Christoph Eshenbach, piano. The double CD was issued by Harmonia Mundi [EAN 3149020213926].

Send your answer to prijsvraag@concertzender.nl before the 1st ofMay.