As the man who rediscovered Bach, Mendelssohn deserves a place in the annals of eternity, and the Flemish Radio Choir is only too happy to put this unique composer in the spotlight. Chief conductor Hervé Niquet, who is specialised in Early Romantic repertoire, selected this programme from works that are – or deserve to be – etched into our collective memory. He recorded these musical gems with the choir last season, and will now perform them live in Flanders. Mendelssohn was one of the most active composers of choir music of his time. A genuine pioneer, he also tried his hand at a considerable amount of a cappella work, in a departure from the large-scale orchestral compositions with a choir that his counterparts were writing. His liturgical music, including the Three Psalms, still appeals to many choirs and listeners today. Voces Intimae, praised by Knack Focus as the “best piano trio in the world”, brings Mendelssohns eagerness and joie de vivre to AMUZ. This is Romanticism without the melancholy: expect subtle sensitivity and refreshing lyricism.

10 March, 2019 15:00 -- amuz

C.P.E. Bach was J.S. Bach’s second and most successful son. He was a transitional figure between the Baroque and Classicism, who greatly influenced Mozart and Beethoven, partly thanks to his keyboard sonatas. In the 18th century, the cello concerto was still a fairly new genre, and Boccherini and Haydn had not yet written theirs at the point when C.P.E Bach completed his. The tempestuous drama of C.P.E Bachs openings and carefree candour of the finales stand in stark contrast to the tenderness and emotional depth of the slow parts. The Mendelssohn-Bartholdys were a wealthy Jewish family. Felix Mendelssohn grew up among them as a child prodigy, who composed magnificent string symphonies between the age of eleven and fourteen for his familys private orchestra. Roel Dieltiens & Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century reveal themselves to be born raconteurs, turning this music into fascinating, colourful stories.

17 March, 2019 15:00 -- amuz

The young ensemble Société Lunaire presents an exciting programme on the theme of artistic rivalry. The extravagance and excess of the French court in the 18th century were the source of international envy. Various European courts tried to outdo each other in terms of luxuriousness, even in times of severe poverty and economic crisis. Whether in Prussia, London, Versailles or Berlin, large numbers of famous composers and musicians were put to work in the service of the courts. Société Lunaire will astonish you with virtuoso chamber music from the century of the Enlightenment by composers including Johann Wilhelm Hertel, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach and François-Joseph Gossec. They will also present a new premiere of the recently discovered music of the Brussels-based composer, violinist and harpist Eugène Godecharle (1742-1798). His Sei Quartetti, Opus 4 for harp, violin, viola and cello reveal an exceptionally interesting musical structure and a wide variety of keys and movements.

21 March, 2019 21:00 -- amuz

The choir at Magdalen College, Oxford, Oscar Wildes alma mater, was founded in 1480 and was one of the most important choirs in England in the Late Middle Ages. Its rich history and tradition stretch back over more than five centuries. “A vivid artistic chemistry … performances of potent conviction and impressive authority”, Gramophone proclaimed. The 32 children and young adults sing at services in the chapel of Magdalen College and on special occasions. For example, they climb the imposing bell tower of Magdalen College at six o’clock in the morning on 1 May each year, to sing to the inhabitants of the city. The choir will perform 20th century English music at AMUZ, including work by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Tavener and Howells. The latter wrote one of the most beautiful and moving works of English religious music. Just like Howells’ masterpiece, Hymnus paradisi (for choir and orchestra), his Requiem for double a cappella choir is closely connected to the death of his nine-year-old son. The English texts, including two psalm texts, all convey a message of hope and trust, and the composition bears witness to a profound, intense sensitivity.

22 March, 2019 21:00 -- amuz

Fans of Russian literature are bound to have heard of the Kreutzer Sonata. The violin sonata was the inspiration for the novella of the same name by the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, in which Beethoven’s music drives two lovers apart. The Spring Sonata owes its name to its bright, pastoral tone. It is the first sonata that Beethoven wrote in four parts, and charmed audiences from the outset. The flamboyant Russian violinist Viktoria Mullova is the ideal choice for the unparalleled emotional eloquence of these sonatas. She has astonished countless audiences with her imaginative sound and spiritual musicality, receiving many prizes. With the pianist Alasdair Beatson, she combines elegance and emotion. “Sheer dancing virtuosity”, was The Guardians headline.

24 March, 2019 15:00 -- amuz

Star violinist Lorenzo Gatto and the Young Belgian Strings joined forces last season in Max Richters Four Seasons Recomposed at POST.CLASSICALMUSICinPRIMETIME. Along with the piano virtuoso Julien Libeer, they now present minimalist and post-minimalist music by Philip Glass, John Adams, Michael Nyman, Max Richter and Arvo Pärt. The way Philip Glass began to look at music in the 1960s was bold, to say the least: put a few notes on paper, add or remove some at regular intervals, and repeat the whole thing for a couple of hours on a violin or synthesizer. A whole generation of composers were influenced by his thinking. As for Arvo Pärt, his use of the contrast between low bass notes and high registers – supporting notes and fragile, airy ones – became a musical vocabulary that would distinguish him from all other composers. Simplicity in music makes people happy.

29 March, 2019 21:00 -- amuz