Haller

At the dawn of a new century when André Campra was busy writing his Carnaval de Venise (1699), was the composer aware that he would be passing onto the Académie Royale de Musique a fabulous and legendary work that would remain without successors? And whilst the court of the ageing Louis XIV was endeavouring to conserve the spirit of the Grand Siècle at Versailles, Paris was already humming with the new ideas of the Age of Enlightenment.

There hasn’t been a popular dance without an accordion, nor a dance-hall without a waltz, since the end of the Great War. You wonder if the genre was ever “modern” at all, so timeless does it seem… Yet it had to be born at some time, and its parents were a motley crowd indeed! First of all came the people from Auvergne, who began to settle in Paris at the beginning of the 19th century: they brought their “folk” instrument with them, and the “musette” tradition, turning their cafes and restaurants into dance-halls with an accordion band. Later, after 1870, it was the turn of the Italians, who crossed the Alps with an instrument of German origin, which they quickly adopted and began to manufacture themselves: the accordion. Then a third stream from Belgium and the North arrived in Paris to work in the factories, and, later still, the wandering gypsy communities of eastern Europe added their guitars to the sound of the accordion.

Renowned for his avant-garde approach to the saxophone, Peter Brotzmann unleashes sonic landscapes that push the boundaries of free jazz. His playing style reflects a profound exploration of emotion and technique, making each note a revelation. Anto Pett, a virtuoso pianist and composer, weaves intricate musical tapestries with his nuanced playing. As a pioneer in improvisation, Pett brings an emotive and thought-provoking dimension to the ensemble. His harmonious interplay with Brotzmann and Bystrov creates a dynamic balance, elevating the collective improvisation to new heights. Vlady Bystrov's mastery of woodwind instruments adds a rich and diverse texture to the trio's sonic palette. His skillful exploration of timbre and tone enhances the improvisational landscape, providing a captivating interplay with Brotzmann and Pett…

Charpentier's Te Deum written in the bright key of D major features a four-part choir and eight soloists. It displays the composer's total command of religious music combined with a gift for melodic writing. Brilliant and majestic, yet profound, this Te Deum (Charpentier wrote four Te deums) was probably composed to celebrate the victory at Steinkerque in August 1692 during the wars against the countries of the League of Augsburg. [The struggle would eventually be in vain; and Strasburg, and the Palatine succession lost to France].

This opera concerns Perseus, his love for Andromeda, and his killing of the snake-headed gorgon Medusa. Jean-Baptiste Lully clearly meant the heroic Perseus to stand for Louis XIV, who commissioned the work. Indeed, while Persee is not on stage all the time, he is the central character of this lengthy, ceremonial, beautifully scored work. Those who love the peculiar formalities of French Baroque opera will need no coaxing.

Heinrich Schütz is, along wi th Claudio Monteverdi, the great musical genius of the 17th Century. Amid the horrors of the Thirty Years War, this devout Lutheran soaked up southern colours and sunshine and invented his own synthesis of the German and Italian styles. Where can this be heard more clearly than in these Symphoniae Sacrae of 1650, psalms in praise of the Father in which voices and instruments come together as in a a Protestant Selva Morale? Where can we grasp the composer's theology better than in his Kleine geistliche Konzerte, monuments of austerity invoking the Son? La Chapelle Rhénane here displays once more its natural affinity for Schütz.

Eldkvarn is a Swedish rock band formed in Norrköping in 1971. The group, whose best-known line-up comprises Plura Jonsson, Carla Jonsson and Tony Thorén, as well as other artists, are regarded as one of the best rock bands in Sweden, with a following in other Nordic countries as well.