French Baroque specialists Les Arts Florissants will likely be celebrating the three hundredth anniversary of Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons with efficiency, marking the work’s unique publication in 1725. Violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte will be a part of the ensemble for a Toronto live performance on March 29.
De Swarte is a quick rising violinist with a ardour for Baroque repertoire. He’s carried out with ensembles in Europe and Australia, and on levels from Carnegie Corridor to the Shanghai Nationwide Artwork Centre. A graduate of the Paris Conservatory, he grew to become an everyday member of Les Arts Florissants in 2014, whereas he was nonetheless a scholar.
The Program
The complete program is a wealthy mixture of Italian Baroque, with an emphasis on Vivaldi;
- Claudio Monteverdi: Adoramus te, SV 289 (transcription)
- Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto madrigalesco, for strings and basso continuo in D Minor, RV129
- Marco Uccellini: Bergamasca
- Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in D Minor, RV 813
- Francesco Geminiani: Concerto Grosso No. 12 in D Minor (“La Follia”) (after Corelli)
- Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in E Main, op. 8, no. 1, “Spring” from The 4 Seasons, RV 269
- Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in G Minor, op. 8, no. 2, “Summer season” from The 4 Seasons, RV 315
- Antonio Vivaldi: Overture to La fida ninfa, FV 714
- Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in F Main, op. 8, no. 3, “Autumn” from The 4 Seasons, RV 293
- Antonio Vivaldi: Grave from Violin Concerto in B flat Main, RV 370
- Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in F Minor, op. 8, no. 4, Winter” from The 4 Seasons, RV 297
Les Arts Florissants has been celebrating Baroque and different classical music for 4 many years. Presently the ensemble in residence on the Théâtre de Caen in Caen, France, the ensemble was based by conductor William Christie in 1979.
Its identify comes from an opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, written in 1685 with the identical title. With a chamber orchestra and small core of vocalists, Les Arts Florissants have grow to be well-known for his or her interval operas, together with a landmark efficiency of Lully’s Atys in Paris — the primary time the work had been carried out since 1753. Specializing in hardly ever heard repertoire, Atys is only one of a number of works the ensemble has rediscovered and carried out.
We spoke to violinist and concertmaster Augusta McKay Lodge (AML) concerning the ensemble, the music, and their Toronto look.
Augusta McKay Lodge : Les Arts Florissants
LvT: What’s it about baroque music that also evokes each musicians and audiences within the current day?
AML: One of many fantastic elements of baroque music, and particularly of historic efficiency, is the concept of recreating the previous whereas concurrently inspiring a brand new, contemporary power. I feel that’s one thing that basically attracts individuals in. Baroque music could be very a lot centered on dance and rhetoric, and in addition the intimacy of chamber music. Everybody on stage has a voice, which feels so vital and related these days! That is inherent to the music but additionally to the strategy we convey as historic performers. So it’s equally thrilling for the musicians as for the viewers, and I feel everybody can really feel that. It’s an enormous dance get together!
LvT: Likewise, what makes Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons so interesting 300 years after it was composed?
AML: It’s thrilling, enjoyable music! It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re a baroque nerd or fully new to classical music, there’s no approach you received’t be tapping your toes throughout the 4 Seasons.
The 4 Seasons had been revealed alongside a set of Sonnets, written into the music, which point out the story behind the music (depicting chicken tune, the circulate of rivers, wind, storms, the chattering of enamel within the chilly winter, and so on). It’s actually enjoyable to learn these alongside the music and to see to what extent the music is programmatic.
The Seasons are splendidly virtuosic for the solo violin, combining the gorgeous and scenic story-telling with a fiery virtuosity because the soloist leaps and scurries all around the instrument. It’s all the time thrilling to see how a performer embraces the challenges and thrilling virtuosic passages.
That is distinctive music, which simply involves life when it’s performed and jumps off the web page. You possibly can actually think about you’re in 18th century Venice in the summertime warmth!
LvT: Violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte would be the soloist. What qualities does he convey to the music as a performer?
AML: Théotime is bigger than life — you’re feeling his presence the second he enters the room. And you may positively really feel that scorching power when he picks up his violin! That is very thrilling to work with. He’s somebody who is aware of learn how to have a whole lot of enjoyable, is all the time extraordinarily optimistic and energetic, however can also be a really critical musician. We share a whole lot of laughs throughout the rehearsal course of however he’s all the time extraordinarily attuned to each element of the work. His ears lengthen far past his solo line— he hears each nuance, each sound, each articulation of the orchestra. That is such an vital high quality in his management. On stage, he brings an unbelievable vibrancy to the music that the viewers feels instantly, along with his fantastic virtuosity after all, but additionally along with his expert and youthful musicianship.
He’s a really beneficiant performer… you’re feeling instantly that he needs to share the music and the expertise with you.
LvT: As an organization that excursions commonly, are there variations between European and North American audiences in the case of how your concert events are acquired?
AML: Les Arts Florissants has all the time held an amazing rapport with their audiences, passionately cultivated by administrators William Christie and Paul Agnew. Each viewers is totally different, and each viewers is an excellent viewers! We’re so excited to carry out for you and we simply hope you get pleasure from it.
- Discover tickets and extra particulars about their March 29 Toronto live performance [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.
