Classical Music

Classical Music

Classical Music

In 2014, Adolphe Sax was remembered and celebrated all over the world: indeed the Belgian geniusinventor was born in Dinant in 1814 and he died 80 years later in Paris after a rather turbulent life with several amazing achievements as well as failures and fiascos! In the aftermath of the “International Adolphe Sax Competition,” which was held in November ’14 in his native city, the idea was born to pay homage to this important figure by recording an album featuring his most famous invention: the saxophone. By presenting the saxophone in various combinations (some of which are less common), it becomes clear how versatile and how well integrated this instrument has become in the international music business. It wasn’t easy to make a representative selection as there really is a lot to choose from! We specifically have focused on the soprano and the alto saxophone as the main solo instruments of the entire family, though also the tenor gets some exposure. Another instrument family which is directly related to Sax, the saxhorns is less highlighted on this release. It’s all about the saxophones, so to say!

These girls are educated at the expense of the state to distinguish themselves in music. They sing like angels and play violin, flute, harpsichord, organ, oboe, cello and bassoon; in short, no instrument can deter them, however big it may be. That is what French humanist and historian Charles de Brosses wrote in1739 about the girls who received their schooling in the Venetian orphanages which he visited. In one of these institutions, the Ospedale della Piet�, Antonio Vivaldi worked as 'maestro di violino' and 'maestro di concerti'. One of his tasks was 'to provide concertos for our girls and compositions for all types of instrument'. This release features oboe concertos that Vivaldi wrote for these girls, performed by Joris Van den Hauwe who gained highest honors for his post graduate 'higher diploma' in oboe playing at the Royal Conservatoire of Music in Brussels. With this album he won the Choc de Classica.

Tobias Messerschmidt is a professional percussionist who puts his main focus on the marimba. Currently he is studying classical percussion in Wiesbaden. With this new release, all of the pieces that he has performed in his solo recitals over the last two years are recorded to present a collection of different sounds, colors, and genres that the marimba can produce. Every work on the album is dedicated to a different person that is part of Tobias’s life. “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav” is dedicated to Alex Jacobowitz, a marimba master, to whom Tobias wanted to show the biggest appreciation. Tobias Messerschmidt is endorsed by Vancore Percussion Instruments Joure.

This new release features rare cello music by contemporary composers from Nothern Holland performed by Wytske Holtrop. In 2018, Wytske Holtrop graduated cum laude for her master's degree at the Haute �cole de Musique de Gen�ve (Geneva University of Music), where she studied with professor Fran�ois Guye. She obtained a highly distinguished bachelor's degree at the Koninklijk Conservatorium of Brussels (Royal Conservatoire of Brussels) with professor Jeroen Reuling. As of the 2019 - 2020 concert season, Wytske will be playing with the Konzerthausorchesterin Berlin, as a member of the Kurt Sanderling orchestra academy. She actively took part in numerous masterclasses with, among others, Natalia Gutman, Gary Hoffman and Nicolas Altstaedt. Wytske performed as a soloist with several Dutch orchestras and regularly plays solo recitals. She appeared internationally in festivals as the Internationaal Kamermuziekfestival Schiermonnikoog (The Netherlands) and the Ars SummerFest in Vilnius (Lithuania). In 2015 - 2016, Wytske wasselected for the orchestra academy of the National Orchestra of Belgium. She won several prizes contesting in the Stichting Jong MuziektalentNederland (a foundation that stimulates talented young musicians in The Netherlands) and the Prinses Christina Concours. In addition, she won the Prix du Mus�e Bonnat during the Acad�mie Ravel in Saint Jean de Luz (France). In 2018, Wytske was awarded the Frisian Emmy 'Runner-up Award', named after and from the hands of the renowned Dutch violinist Emmy Verhey. Wytske plays a cello by Tanguy Fraval, Brussels (2011) and uses a bow by Doriane Bodart, Paris (2016).

The title of this album reflects the mission of the Colori Ensemble. To evade, the literal translation of the Latin evasio, is symbol to the ensemble’s wish to escape daily musical routine and to elude the beaten track. To throw new light on the existing, but also to create new sounds by playing new compositions by contemporary composers. To emphasize that these composers stand on the shoulders of illustrious predecessors, this release is combining these new compositions with arrangements of well-known repertoire by composers whose works have withstood the test of time already. The chosen compositions are fitted to the specific musical cast of the Colori Ensemble. The result can be compared to add subtle coloring to a black-and-white photograph, revealing details that might be overlooked, or in this case overheard, in the original. The four contemporary composers on this album, all originating from or working in the Dutch province of Friesland, each in their own way stand on the shoulders of the great composers from the past: sometimes reminiscent, but at the same time looking toward a bright musical future. The musicians consider the posthumous contribution of the Frisian poet Tsjêbbe Hettinga as an inspiring gift. So, it is no coincidence that this poet has the first and final word on this release. Starting from distant shores (Frjemde Kusten), the Colori Ensemble depicts an imaginary and musical journey, escaping from (un)known places and presenting different views. Upon arrival (Oankomst) the cycle is completed by the poet’s welcoming words Kalispera file (greetings to you, my friend).

Anamorfosi. In Greek, the word signifies the reshaping (ana) of a form or image (Morfe). Since the Renaissance, artists have reshaped and experimented with perspectives on images. However, such reshaping can also occur in music, and this idea constitutes the concept of this album. The starting point of this album are compositions by Chopin and Ravel, which are subsequently transformed into contemporary idiom and “perspective,” in the Chopiniata by Clement Doucet or Anamorfosi by Salvatore Sciarrino. This release is part of the SWUK series in Belgium in which only the very best upcoming young talents perform. Born into a family of musicians, Yannick Van De Velde quickly became devoted to music. He is a prizewinner in many international competitions, including the Busoni Competition, the Piano Campus Competition in Paris, and the Nany Phillepart Foundation Competition. Strongly interested in contemporary music, he recently played the world premiere of “Chanson” for piano and orchestra by Jean-Frederic Neuburger and “Dream” of Frederic Rzweski.

The year is 1996. Classically trained saxophonist Niels Bijl is at the end of his conservatorium education. In a record shop in the center of Enschede: in a spare hour he is trawling the cd racks, looking for unknown music, new inspiration. Ronald Moelker walks past him, purposefully, towards the counter. With a clear question: do you also have recordings of classical music on saxophone? A conversation quickly follows, a friendship is born. What follows: more than 20 years of research, collaboration and a shared passion for enjoying life. Niels and Ronald, managing to remain unfettered by the apparently different worlds of their chosen instruments, take on all challenges together. The 15th Century British complexity of Baldwine's A Duo, the light-footedness of Francois Couperin's Tic-Toc-Choc. Bach as uniting thread, with highlights such as the two-part canon from the Kunst der Fugue and the flute sonata BWV 1035. Aided by the expert mastery of recorder builder Adriana Breukink, the saxophone and recorder come ever closer to each other. The romance of young love is reflected in Tandernaken. The festive cadans of the early middle ages are celebrated in the Estampie Petrone. In an unknown duo, referred to as No. 3, harsh dissonant sounds are continuously replaced with beautiful harmonies, ending ina perfect unison. Ronald Moelker's composition Ithaca, written for Niels, is the perfect introduction to the heart of the collaboration and friendship: Two fantasies by Telemann.

This release features 24 Chorale Preludes for the organ (BWV 645-668.) Without exception, they stand in the tradition of the chorale-based music of Bach’s predecessors. They therefore include pieces with the unornamented chorale tune in the pedal, others with the melody ornamented, chorale trios, and works employing traditional contrapuntal techniques like canon, fugue, and imitation. Vincent van Laar studied organ and harpsichord at the conservatories of Utrecht and The Hague with Nico van den Hooven, Harald Vogel, Glen Wilson and Bob van Asperen. Vincent’s greatest interest and musical passion is for the performance of Baroque solo and continuo music, in particular the works of J.S.Bach and the seventeenth-century North-European school. Vincent has an international career as a soloist and continuo player, and has played on many recordings for radio and CD, including the complete works of Sweelincks’ pupil Melchior Schildt and Bach cantatas with organo obligato. He also participated in the complete recording of Sweelinck’s keyboard music. The latter was awarded the Netherlands most illustrious prize, the Edison. Recently he recorded the 24 Capricetten by Jacob Wilhelm Lustig.

Classical Music

The Franco-Dutch flutist and conductor Louis Droute (1792-1873) was one of the great soloists of his day. Born in Amsterdam, he began his career at the court of Louis Bonaparte, then king of Holland. The King was so impressed with the 15-year-old flutist that he presented him with a crystal flute by the famous Parisian maker Claude Laurent, a flute which today belongs to the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Drouet was later appointed to the court of Napoleon in Paris. Drouet quickly developed an international solo career, performing in much of Europe and even in the United States. With his friend, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, he made concert tours to London and Paris in 1828 and 1829. The rich depth of Beethoven's music is truly a gift for life, since, just as with the sonatas of Bach, there is always something new left to discover. Each interaction with Beethoven's music reveals a new part of his musical imagination.

The programme of this album is entirely devoted to the harpsichord music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), played on a precious Vaudry instrument. Two pieces were recorded earlier, but on different instruments- a Taskin (1669/1979) and a Giusti (1679/1977). Johan Brouwer (1943) studied organ under Wim van Beek and music theory under Frans van Eeden at the Groningen conservatory, then harpsichord at the Amsterdam conservatory. After his soloist exam he took up further studies with Gustav Leonhardt. Johan Brouwer followed masterclasses by Ton Koopman, René Saorgin and Jos van Immerseel. Johan Brouwer has given concerts in the Netherlands, France, Portugal, England, Sweden and Germany and as leader/harpsichordist formed part of the Groningen baroque orchestra Collegium Musicum, concentrating not just on the great traditional works of the baroque but also on unknown work from the 17th and 18th centuries. He also worked for a long time as conductor of the Winschoten Chamber Choir, with which he performed much 17th century music together with the Collegium Musicum Groningen.

MarV stands for the Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter quintet (V) and percussion. This is the brass quintet of the Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy. From 2007 onwards the quintet bears the name of Netherlands' illustrious Fleet Admiral De Ruyter. In addition to the activities of the Marine Band, the members of MarV take part in services and concerts, on occasion in the presence of members of the Royal Family. During the past years performances also took place abroad in Curaçao, New York and France. In 2014 MarV featured in the filme Michiel de Ruyter. On this album, listeners can hear a selection of the versatile repertoire of MarV with various arrangements that have not bee recorded earlier.