Welcome to the University of Hong Kong.
Thank you for coming to the concert. To ensure that everyone enjoys the music, please switch off your mobile phones and any other sound and light emitting devices before the performance. Unauthorised photography and audio / video recordings in the Hall are prohibited. Enjoy the concert and come again.
Co-presented by
Exclusive Sponsor
Supported by
Playing with Authenticity 玩奏原聲 MUSE Artist-in-Residence:
Jean Rondeau, harpsichord MUSE 駐校藝術家：古鍵琴家尚隆多
Baroque Improvised: Jean Rondeau in Recital 即興巴洛克：尚隆多獨奏會 27 APR 2019 | SAT | 8PM Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre
Of Grace and Elegance 雍容與優雅 30 APR 2019 | TUE | 7PM University Museum and Art Gallery
Early Music Masterclass 古樂大師班 2 MAY 2019 | THU | 4PM Rehearsal Room, Run Run Shaw Tower
Jean Rondeau’s Jazz Piano Trio Cabane! 尚隆多爵士鋼琴三重奏 Cabane! 3 MAY 2019 | FRI | 8PM Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre
1
Jean Rondeau J ean Rondeau studied harpsichord with Blandine Verlet for over ten years, followed by training in basso continuo, organ, piano, jazz, improvisation, and conducting. He pursued further studies at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris, graduating with honours, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
In 2012, at just 21 years old, he became one of the youngest performers ever to receive the First Prize at the International Harpsichord Competition in Bruges (MAfestival 2012) and the EUBO Development Trust Prize – an accolade bestowed on the most promising young musician of the European Union. In the same year, he claimed second place in the Prague Spring International Harpsichord Competition (64th edition of the Festival, 2012), along with a nod for the best interpretation of the contemporary piece commissioned for the contest. In 2013, he won the Prix des Radios Francophones Publiques. Rondeau is in demand for solo, chamber music and orchestral appearances throughout Europe and in the United States. He frequently performs with the Baroque quartet Nevermind. Apart from his activities as a harpsichordist, he founded the ensemble Note Forget, presenting his own jazz-oriented compositions and improvisations on piano. Rondeau is signed to Erato as an exclusive recording artist. His debut album of music by J. S. Bach, Imagine, was released in January 2015 and received the Choc de Classica and Prix Charles Cros. The second recording on Erato, Vertigo, saw Rondeau paying tribute to two Baroque composers from his home country France: Jean-Philippe Rameau and Pancrace Royer. Another album Dynastie was released in 2017, it explores keyboard concertos by Bach & Sons. In his latest Erato album, Rondeau turns to Domenico Scarlatti's dazzling sonatas. In 2016 he composed his first original score for a film, Christian Schwochow’s Paula, which premiered at the 2016 Locarno Film Festival.
2
3
© Edouard Bressy
27 APR 2019
Baroque Improvised: Jean Rondeau in Recital Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre On Harpsichord * BACH
Prelude from Partita in C minor, BWV 997
BACH
Fantasia in C minor, BWV 906
SCARLATTI
Sonata in C major, K. 132 - Cantabile
SCARLATTI
Sonata in A minor, K. 175 - Allegro
SCARLATTI
Sonata in A major, K. 208 - Adagio
SCARLATTI
Sonata in D major, K. 119 - Allegro
BACH
Chaconne in D minor from Violin Partita No. 2, BWV 1004 (arr. for keyboard left hand by Johannes Brahms)
On Piano RONDEAU
Piano improvisations on BWV 997, K. 132, K. 208, and a fandango * Harpsichord by Bruce Kennedy, Amsterdam 2001, after Michael Mietke, Berlin, ca. 1704
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) were born in the
same year, the former in Eisenach, Germany and the latter in Naples, Italy. Together with another master, George Frideric Handel (1685-1759), they made up 'the class of 1685' in music history. Although Bach and Scarlatti never met each other, some scholars suggest that Bach's Goldberg Variations was influenced by Scarlatti's Essercizi per Gravicembalo, K. 1-30. Without concrete evidence proving that Bach was acquainted with Scarlatti's music, this remains a conjecture. Perhaps it is because their musical styles are so different that any trace of similarity can easily conjure up the idea of influence.
4
The fact that Bach and Scarlatti were born in the same year have motivated scholars to compare the two great composers. Giorgio Pestelli wrote: 'Scarlatti was not able to be impassive, detached, and ascetic in the face of his musical material; unlike Bach, he did not have a passion for thought, he was not a reasoner in music.' It is perhaps too much to say that Bach is 'impassive, detached, and ascetic'. The Chaconne of Violin Partita No. 2, BWV 1004, into which Bach infused his contrapuntal spirit by conjuring multiple voices from a single melodic line, is no less emotionally charged than Scarlatti's lyrical K. 208. Praising the Chaconne that he arranged for the left-hand piano, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) wrote: 'Using a single system for a little instrument, the man writes a whole world of the deepest thought and most powerful expression.' What Pestelli referred to as 'thought' and reason is the intellectual process that gives rise to Bach's meticulously calculated counterpoint, best exemplified by his fugues. Although Bach did not complete the fugue of his Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906, we can still glimpse his strict style in the fantasia, where an inverted imitation of the opening subject is presented in the left hand. Scarlatti was often less strict when it comes to the rules of counterpoint, but he did so out of aesthetic difference rather than technical inferiority. The parallel fifths in the bass drone near the beginning of K. 208 reinforces the simplistic spirit of the pastoral and gallant styles. The chord clusters and unresolved dissonances in K. 119 and K. 175, which have earned Scarlatti such description as 'modernistic', imbue the music with nervous energy and dramatic tension. The chord clusters in K. 175 also reflect folk influence, evoking the strumming of the flamenco guitar, which Scarlatti must have heard when serving as a music teacher to the Spanish Queen Maria Barbara. Much of the keyboard music of the Baroque period, especially Scarlatti's sonatas, first took shape in form of improvisation. Rondeau's improvisatory suite, based on Bach's and Scarlatti's works, can be seen as reviving the Baroque practice. The suite opens with the 'Prelude' of Bach's Lute Partita in C minor, BWV 997, which serves as an introduction to Scarlatti's K. 132 and K. 208. It closes with a fandango, a Spanish couple-dance accompanied by a guitar and castanets. Scarlatti alluded to the musical style of the dance at times, notably in K. 329 and K. 492. There is also a fandango attributable to Scarlatti, as suggested by modern scholars. Combining Rondeau's spontaneous creativity with Bach's and Scarlatti's ingenious musical minds, the improvisation gives new life to the two composers' pieces and allows us to re-experience them through new lenses. Sheryl Chow MPhil in Musicology, HKU PhD Candidate in Musicology, Princeton University
5
30 APR 2019
Of Grace and Elegance University Museum and Art Gallery
Jean Rondeau, harpsichord Chiu Tan Ching, zheng
D espite their distinct sounds and cultural backgrounds, the harpsichord and the zheng represented subtlety and sublimity of their respective cultures before modernity, often evoking the graceful and elegant poses of court dance or music-making. What chemistry would be sparked if the pair were featured together, each employing its own scale system and timbre? In this contemporary and experimental duet, we will see Jean Rondeau and Chiu Tan Ching break cultural boundaries to create a unique musical bonding with one of the most unique instrumental line-ups! Works include 《高山流水》、《陳杏元落院》、《戰颱風》、《湘妃淚》and more
Chiu Tan Ching Chiu Tan Ching obtained her first degree at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, double majoring in zheng and Chinese percussion. She also holds a Master's degree in Music from the Hong K ong Baptist University. In 2000, she established a Chinese music school, Music Academy of Zheng (MAZ). Later she founded a non-profit music group, Tanching Zheng Ensemble. She is a core member of the Chinese Music Virtuosi (CMV) and Hong Kong New Music Ensemble (HKNME). She often presents contemporar y or commissioned works for zheng and has per formed in many international music festivals.
6
2 MAY 2019
Early Music Masterclass Rehearsal Room, Run Run Shaw Tower
S tudents from the HKU Early Music Ensemble will participate in a masterclass given by harpsichordist Jean Rondeau. Selected works from the Baroque and Renaissance periods will be featured, through which the students will engage in a discussion with the harpsichordist on the authenticity and artistic faithfulness of early music performance.
Dr. Shane Levesque, Director of HKU Early Music Ensemble Simon Zimou Chen, keyboard Jacky Tsz-ho Chung, violin Luke Lok-pin Hau, keyboard William Wing-nim Lai, viola Rosanne Chun-yung Lee, voice Harris Tsz-chun Leung, keyboard Rio Ting-ho Li, double bass Dora Yao-jun Liu, violin Christie Wing-yin Wong, flute Pallas Chi-hoi Wu, violin Baldwin Bok-yin Yam, flute
7
3 MAY 2019
Jean Rondeau’s Jazz Piano Trio Cabane! Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre Jean Rondeau, piano Erwan Ricordeau, double bass Sébastien Grenat, drums
Cabane is a musical project with a keen desire to present compositions in the most honest and just manner. Cabane remains a modest trio that always questions and challenges its exploration of music. It is constantly in search of new forms and expressions in a language that sometimes derives from an ordinary, traditional grammar. As improvisation is central to Cabane’s work, this project proposes a canvas with flexible dimensions and looks for a grand framework that distinguishes itself from a museum-like collection of paintings. Cabane presents itself as an exploration of three fundamental perspectives: musical writing, improvisation, and interpretation – all intermingled in a sonorous, powerful blend. Centred around the instrumental lineup of piano, double bass, and drums, Cabane tries to distinguish itself from the traditional setting of a standard 'jazz trio' – sometimes through musical irony or the dissociation of instruments from their traditional functions, other times by adopting unconventional instrumentations such as the guitar and electronic and prepared instruments. Cabane wishes to tell a story in a single movement – one in which numerous twists and turns appear one after another, sometimes accompanied by flashbacks and memories. The audience is invited to immerse themselves in a sonorous musical 'dough' composed of different colourful audio flavours that together create a meditative and sometimes violent expedition. Bon voyage! Jean Rondeau Translated from French by Ka Yau Lai B.A. in General Linguistics Year 4, HKU
8
Sébastien Grenat Sébastien Grenat started playing drums at the age of 17. Through drums, he explored jazz and improvisation, which he has been playing with true delight until now. He also plays different styles of music, including rap, world music, and soul music. He has participated in several traditional music camps across Europe. He was a member of a former hip-hop band Les Mains Sales and played in the modern European-influenced jazz band Note Forget. He has been studying jazz in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre since autumn 2017.
Erwan Ricordeau Erwan Ricordeau began playing the double bass at the age of 17. After two years, he was enrolled at the Conservatoire GabrielFauré – Les Mureaux as a jazz student studying with Professor Jean-Luc Fillon. Erwan started studying the double bass w i t h J a c q u e s Vi d a l a n d s i n gi n g w i t h Guylenn Delassus at the Conservatoire Nadia et Lili Boulanger in Paris. After four years of studying in Paris, he went to Beijing for a year. This trip broadened his horizon and allowed him to discover different cultures. He has played with various groups, such as rock group Eroddo.
9
HKU MUSE Fall 2019 Sneak Peek 秋季節目預告
Takács' Bartók: The Complete String Quartets 塔克斯四重奏之巴爾托克全集
21 SEP | SAT | 8PM Nos. 1, 3, 5
22 SEP | SUN | 3PM Nos. 2, 4, 6
"I t communicates Bar tok ’s all- embracing humanity, and if the greatest string quartets after Beethoven are still unknown to you, then this new set may well prove the musical journey of a lifetime." - Gramophone
Listening Between the Lines Series V: Musical Pushkin 樂讀普希金 19 OCT | SAT | 8PM
Paul Lewis in Recital 李維斯鋼琴獨奏會 10 NOV | SUN | 3PM
Ticketing details to be announced:
www.muse.hku.hk BE A MUSE
Join our free membership and unlock exclusive members-only privileges throughout the year! 登記成為會員可享全年專屬優惠！
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Nobuyuki Tsujii
Angela Hewitt
Evgeny Kissin
THANK YOU
Nancy Loo and Andrew Ling
Saskia Giorgini and Ian Bostridge
Jan Lisiecki
Ma Ka-Fai
for sharing another wonderful year of music with us - see you in September w h e n we k i c k o f f t h e M U S E 2019/20 season!
Juilliard String Quartet
Messiah 2018
13
14