French Baroque specialists Les Arts Florissants might be celebrating the three hundredth anniversary of Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons with efficiency, marking the work’s authentic publication in 1725. Violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte will be 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 pupil.
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 time” 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. At present 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 turn out 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 not often 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) in regards to 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 thought of recreating the previous whereas concurrently inspiring a brand new, recent vitality. I believe that’s one thing that basically attracts folks in. Baroque music may be very a lot centered on dance and rhetoric, and likewise the intimacy of chamber music. Everybody on stage has a voice, which feels so necessary and related at the moment! That is inherent to the music but additionally to the method we carry as historic performers. So it’s equally thrilling for the musicians as for the viewers, and I believe everybody can really feel that. It’s a giant dance occasion!
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 means you gained’t be tapping your toes through the 4 Seasons.
The 4 Seasons had been printed alongside a set of Sonnets, written into the music, which point out the story behind the music (depicting fowl track, the stream of rivers, wind, storms, the chattering of tooth 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 attractive 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’ll be able to 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 carry 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 vitality when he picks up his violin! That is very thrilling to work with. He’s somebody who is aware of find out how to have numerous enjoyable, is all the time extraordinarily optimistic and energetic, however can also be a really critical musician. We share numerous laughs through 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 necessary 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 usually, are there variations between European and North American audiences with regards to how your live shows are obtained?
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 completely different, and each viewers is a superb 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.
