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5th International Clarinet Competition Ghent!

March 26, 2022
in New Releases, News
by Jos Boerland

The original idea for this fifth clarinet competition was that it would be part of the “Van Eyck project 2020 – 2021”. Everyone knows why this has been delayed by a year. For this competition, three composers were asked to write a new work inspired by the characteristic painting by Jan Van Eyck, “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”. The composers Alain Crepin (Lam Gods Impressions), Johan Duijck (L’Homme désarmé) and Dirk Brossé (The Secret of the Mystic Lamb) have succeeded in this in a very special way. The International Clarinet Competition Ghent has now been organized for the fifth time. It has now grown into a special and highly appreciated competition that, due to its great and quickly built up success, has attracted registrations from more than 200 candidates from 5 continents. Of these, 65 clarinetists were selected to participate. On this album you can listen to the three finalists and enjoy their exceptional playing. Accompanied by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra, the Zemlinsky Quartet, Johan Duijck (piano) and soprano Franches Dhont, they will take you into the atmosphere of the competition!

The first three price winners Arthur Stockel (1st prize), Ángel Martín (2nd prize) and Szymon Emil Parulski (3rd prize) gave the best they have. Accompanied by the Flanders Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dirk Brossé you can listen to the finals on this disc in stereo and Auro 3D Immersive Sound.

CD 1

Arthur Stockel
1. The Secret of the Mystic Lamb – Dirk Brossé 13:34

Arthur Stockel
Concerto no. 2 – Carl Maria von Weber
2. Allegro 08:23
3. Adagio ma non troppo 07:08
4. Rondo allegretto 06:19

Szymon Emil Parulski
Concerto no. 1 – Carl Maria von Weber
5. Allegro moderato 07:59
6. Adagio ma non troppo 06:01
7. Rondo allegretto 06:03

CD 2

Angel Martin Mora
1. L’Homme Désarmé – Johan Duijck 10:57

Angel Martin Mora
Clarinet quintet K581 in A major – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2. Allegro 06:28
3. Larghetto 05:48
4. Menuetto – Trio I – Trio II 05:33
5. Allegretto con variazioni 08:40

Minkyung Chu
Clarinet Quintet in b-minor op. 115 – Johannes Brahms
6. Allegro 09:52
7. Adagio 10:50
8. Andantino 04:36
9. Con Moto 08:41

Gervasio Valli Tarragona
10. Lam Gods Impressions – Alain Crepin 07:57

Noord Nederlands Orkest

August 5, 2021
in Artists
by Andrew Read

The North Netherlands Symphony Orchestra (NNO) is a leading, forward-thinking symphony orchestra based in Groningen. The orchestra performs at the highest level both exciting new programs, as well as traditional symphonic repertoire. We believe that nothing surpasses a live classical music concert, with the contact that is made between the orchestra and its audience.

The NNO was founded in 1862, making it the oldest professional symphonic orchestra in The Netherlands. The NNO offers vibrant symphonic music to the three Northern provinces, with roughly 120 concerts per season in concert halls, the open air, during festivals and at schools. In addition, the orchestra regularly performs at theatres elsewhere in the country, including The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, TivoliVredenburg in Utrecht and theatre De Doelen in Rotterdam.

The orchestra enjoys introducing newcomers to symphonic music, with the educational program Pieter Roelf Youth concerts, free lunch concerts as well as free outdoor concerts. The NNO can also be heard on the radio frequently. A close collaboration with various institutes ensures cross-pollination of the arts. The NNO works with the Prins Claus academy of music as well as music academies in Amsterdam and The Hague.

Antony Hermus is at present the Principal Guest Conductor. Michel Tabachnik is fulfilling the position of Conductor Emeritus.

The NNO has been privileged to work with leading conductors such as David Porcelijn, Viktor Liberman, Jean Fournet, Han-Na Chang, Stefan Vladar, Alexander Verdernikov and Susanna Mälkki, and international soloists including Diana Damrau, Piotr Beczala, Eva-Maria Westbroek, Vadim Repin, Louis Lortie, Shlomo Mintz and Alexander Gravylyuk.

The NNO regularly features contemporary composers: Terry Riley, Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson and Steve Vai have all performed their music in Groningen.

The Northern Consort

June 30, 2021
in Artists
by Andrew Read

In 2002, Vincent van Ballegooijen (oboe) and Hanneke Wieringa (violin) began giving themed concerts on a small stage in Groningen. For many years, together with countless colleagues – all playing on historic instruments – they have presented, every month, music from the early 17th to the early 19th centuries. The concerts have always been combined with a story, a dance, images or poetry. The Northern Consort is still performing in this way, twenty years on – although the original small stage has grown to include a wide variety of performance spaces – and they have created a stable group of colleagues around them. Constant threads across the decades have been their love of the music itself and of playing together, and the thematic approach that renders their concerts refreshing and accessible. The last few years have seen them perform in schools, for refugees and the homeless, in care homes for the aged, and at healthcare locations.

 

Arjan Jongsma

June 29, 2021
in Artists, Featured Artists
by Andrew Read

Arjan Jongsma (1995) has been performing at various concert venues since the age of 12. During his career to date he has performed at the International Chamber Music Festival Schiermonnikoog, Festival Wonderfeel ’s-Graveland, Bach Festival Dordrecht and the International Chamber Music Festival Utrecht. Furthermore he has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Residentie Orchestra, Noordpool Orchestra, Philips Symphony Orchestra, Dutch Theater Orchestra, Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands and the Haydn Youth String Orchestra. In addition, as a freelance orchestral musician, Arjan has substituted with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (timpani), RCO Brass (timpani), Ballet Orchestra (percussion) and various other orchestras and is associated as a timpanist with the Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht.

During his studies he has won many awards including 1st price during the National Finals of the Prinses Christina Concours in The Hague, the KPMG Pressprize, the Rubens Kwartet Prize, the Accelerando Classic Award and the jury and audience prize at the Haydn Music Festival 2007 in Groningen. Arjan is a member of the Colori Ensemble and with this ensemble he could be heard on the Dutch radio and seen on the Dutch television show ‘Vrije Geluiden’. The Colori Ensemble has been performing concerts throughout the Netherlands including venues like the Recital Hall and Mirror Hall of the Concertgebouw. Arjan is a teacher at the Percussion Friends-Sweelinck Academy at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 (online) he gave lessons and recitals during the International Marimba Summer Camp of Theodor Milkov in Greece and was teaching during the Percussion Friends Chamber Music Academy in 2017, 2018 en 2020 (online).

Arjan plays a Yamaha YM-5100 marimba, which has been made possible by the Prince Bernhard Culture Fund and Stichting Eigen Muziekinstrument. He obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, with specialization marimba and timpani, at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. Arjan Jongsma is a Yamaha Artist.

 

Arjan Jongsma releases “New Perspectives for Marimba”

June 28, 2021
in New Releases, News
by Andrew Read

Aliud Records is proud to present “New Perspectives for Marimba” by Dutch based percussionist Arjan Jongsma. Featuring works by J.S. Bach, M. Ravel and the world premiere recording of Sipke Hoekstra’s “Clio’s Patchwork, Fantasia for Marimba”, Jongsma takes a pianistic approach, truly opening up new perspectives for the Marimba.

The Album, includes a single stereo CD and a Blu-ray disc in Auro 3D providing the listener with a unique 3D, Immersive Sound, listening experience. In addition the album also features high quality packaging, extensive liner notes and additional downloadable content. Along with the solo Marimba performances, Jongsma is joined by the chamber music group the “Colori Ensemble” for his adaptation for marimba, flute, oboe, cello and piano of Ravel’s “Concerto for the Left Hand in D major”.

Professor at the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold and the Conservatorium in Amsterdam, Peter Prommel, wrote in his foreword to the liner notes “By listening to this recording, it will become obvious that it is the start of a new era of interpretation of great pieces on the marimba. At the same time, new pieces by composers with a keen ear for phrasing and colouring are seductive to the ear and display the beauty of the wood that the marimba player touches.”

The album includes two works from Johann Sebastian Bach, the Lute Suite in E minor (BWV 996) and the Prelude from the English Suite No. 2 in A minor, (BWV 807). The Lute Suite was originally written for an instrument called the “Lautenwerck”. While no original specimen of this instrument has survived, it was one of Bach’s favourite keyboard instruments and at the time of his death, he owned two of them. Similar to a harpsichord, but with gut rather than metal strings the instrument produces a mellow tone far closer to that of a lute. The marimba is extremely well suited to reproduce this warm and delicate sound that Bach presumably had in mind. Please, pay special attention to the warmth and depth of sound in the low registers, that corresponds so wonderfully with the aspects we value in the sound of the lute.

Jongsma first explored the music of Ravel while studying for his masters degree at the Conservation in Amsterdam. “I discovered that the typical sound of marimba seems to fit the impressionistic world of Ravel perfectly” said Jongsma. He went on to say that this was the main reason “to try out some of his works for piano solo on the marimba, which resulted in playing Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn and Sonatine. Almost no changes to the score were needed to be able to play those pieces, apart from some chords that I had to reduce to four voices.”

One of the major pieces presented on this album is Ravel’s “Concerto for the Left Hand in D major”. When speaking of the choice to adapt this piece Arjan explained “Obviously, when diving into Ravel’s oeuvre, the Concerto for the Left Hand in D major is a masterwork not to be missed. One of my general goals is to show as many colours as possible on the marimba. To be able to do that, we need pieces that give us those possibilities and I found out the Concerto for the Left Hand would push me to extend this range of colours even more, varying from beautifully fluent, legato lines in the final cadence, short militaristic notes in the allegro, to powerful, heavy statements in the first cadence. In the adaptation we made for marimba solo, flute/piccolo, oboe/English horn, cello and piano, we tried to recreate the orchestral sound in a chamber music setting. One big advantage of this setting is that, as a marimba player, one can make use of the full dynamic range of the instrument without having to push its limits, since it is easier to balance with a small ensemble.”

Looking for a bridge between the polyphonic works of Bach and the impressionism of Ravel, Jongsma commissioned a new work from Dutch composer Sipke Hoekstra. The result, “Clio’s Patchwork, Fantasia for Marimba”, fits perfectly in this role. Arjan stated “Clio’s Patchwork is a great addition to the marimba repertoire. Together with the adaptations of the music by Bach and Ravel, to me it perfectly represents the concept of this cd: offering new perspectives for marimba.”

The Album is due for worldwide release on the 4th of July 2021 and is available as a stereo CD and includes a Blu-ray disc with the program presented in Auro 3d, immersive sound. Auro 3d provides the listener with a three-dimensional, immersive sound, realistic sound experience unlike anything before. Thanks to a unique ‘Height’ channel configuration, acoustic reflections are generated and heard naturally due to the fact that sounds originate from around as well as above the listener.

Order the Album Here

 

Ill Concerto Barocco

March 13, 2021
in Artists
by Jos Boerland

Literally translated, Ill Concerto Barocco means “the baroque concert”. This name was chosen as it best describes what this ensemble is about. Ill Concerto Barocco is an ensemble accommodating a wide range of instrumentations ranging from small chamber music settings to full baroque orchestra. The basic principle of the ensembles performances is that the music performed is best served by the instrumentation and performances practices developed and used in the period that the music was conceived.

Founded in 2002 by bassist and artistic director Andrew Read, Ill Concerto Barocco has become one of the most successful Baroque Orchestras in the Netherlands. The orchestra has performed throughout the Netherlands and Germany and welcomed many of the early music worlds most respected soloists and vocal ensembles. In addition the ensemble presents a regular series of concerts in their home concert venue the Waterstaatskerk in Hengelo, the Netherlands.

 

 

As mentioned above, the orchestra specializes in the performance of music from the 17th centaury with a focus on repertoire from lessor know composers from the period. This can be evidenced by the unique recordings of the music from composers such as Henry DuMont, Carolus Hacquart and the World premiere recordings of two works from Johann Heinrich Schmelzer available on Aliud Records (Sepolcro ACD HN 017-2). Next to the endless search for unique repertoire, Ill Concerto Barocco has also focused their attention on more standard repertoire such as the Ouverture Suites from Telemann (ACD-HA-009-2) and the highly praised recording of G.F. Handel’s Concerti Grossi opus 3 ( ACD-HJ-039-2).