Harpsichord en fête Festival (20-27 March 2020)

Edinburgh, 20-27.03.2020

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Bienvenue to the second edition of Harpsichord en fête proudly brought to you by the Institut français d’Ecosse and St Cecilia’s Hall Concert Room and Music Museum. Each artist chose their harpsichord among the museum’s internationally renowned collection. #readytobaroque ? Enjoy a week of curated events including concerts and a baroque ball performed in two of the city’s most striking and historical venues!

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HARPSICHORD EN FÊTE The French presence in the Scottish cultural stage dates back to the medieval period with our Auld Alliance. The inauguration of our cultural institute within the post-WWII efforts in re-establishing peace reinforces the cultural exchanges between our two countries ever since.

Located in one of Edinburgh’s most beautiful buildings on its High Street, the Institut français d’Ecosse offers a rich and carefully curated programme with significant contributions to the City of Edinburgh festivals, such as our Harpsichord en fête! for the keen ears to enjoy classical music.

Inaugurated in proud partnership with St Cecilia’s Hall in 2019, the festival focuses on an intimate yet embellished instrument, representative of early modern Europe. This also echoes the 194647 festival pioneers in celebrating the beauty of life and art via trans-national creative collaborations, inspiring solidarity when facing challenges of global essence.

Enthusiastic feedback from internationally distinguished artists, academics and professional partners allowed us to keep up with a second edition this year in the hope that “Harpsichord en fête” remains amongst Edinburgh’s festive calendar for many more years to come.

Laurence Païs Consul General of France & Director of the French Institute in Scotland.

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ABOUT ST CECILIA’S HALL

St Cecilia’s Hall is the home of the University of Edinburgh’s internationally renowned collection of musical instruments. The keyboard instrument collection is particularly strong, containing both the Russell and Mirrey Collections. The Museum displays examples from the most important schools and dynasties of harpsichord making, many of which are fully playable, enabling an immersive understanding of these instruments to be shared. We are delighted to be part of this exciting international collaboration.

Dr Jenny Nex Curator, Musical Instrument Collection, University of Edinburgh

ABOUT THE HARPSICHORD The harpsichord was first described in the late 14th century, after which it became a central instrument in chamber, orchestral and vocal music, as well as having an important solo repertoire of its own. It remained popular until the end of the 18th century, when it was overshadowed by the piano. A revival in interest in the music of the past saw its rediscovery in the 1880s, since when it has become ever more popular amongst early music enthusiasts.

The mechanism plucks the strings with a tiny piece of quill (birds feather) or sometimes leather. The sound can be varied in some instruments by playing multiple strings together, plucking at a different place along the string, or damping the strings using felt or leather. Members of the harpsichord family include the harpsichord itself (where the strings run directly away from the player), the virginal (where the strings run across in front of the player) and the spinet (where the strings are positioned at an angle). Instruments are decorated in the furniture style of the place and time when they were made, so some are covered in wooden panelling or marquetry while others are painted or decorated with gold leaf and other costly materials. Many players today use copies of historical instruments made by skilled modern craftspeople; in this Festival we also present instruments dating from the 16th to 18th centuries which have been carefully brought back into playing order and can teach us about the sound worlds of the past.

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FESTIVAL PROGRAMME FRIDAY 20TH MARCH

OPENING CONCERT & DRINKS RECEPTION

John Kitchen & Sally Carr Institut français d’Ecosse, 19:00 | £15/£12 (conc.)

Continuo player, accompanist, tutor, lecturer, writer, adjudicator, reviewer, and recording artist, John Kitchen and the award-winning soprano educated at the University of Edinburgh, and alumna of Z‘Genesis Sally Carr are delighted to open the 2nd edition of “Harpsichord en fête” with a concert programme including Louis Couperin, Henry Purcell and G.F. Handel among others.

John is an Honorary Fellow in the Reid School of Music, the University of Edinburgh, University Organist, Director of Music at Old Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church and Edinburgh City Organist with performing and curatorial duties at the Usher Hall, as well as the President of the Incorporated Association of Organists.

John Kitchen

Part of a duo with clarinetist Calum Robertson and having appeared with Edinburgh Studio Opera on several occasions, Sally studies singing with Susan Hamilton, and currently works as a performer and teacher in central Scotland and in September she will begin studying for a Masters degree in vocal performance. For further information about the artists, see our website.

John Kitchen will be playing his own single-manual harpsichord built in the 80s by Clayson and Garrett based on 18th-century models, with a broken octave in the bass that extends the compass providing a clear and ringing sound ideal for the French repertoire and accompanying.

Sally Carr

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SATURDAY 21ST MARCH

DANCE WORKSHOP

Ready to Baroque Institut français d’Ecosse, 13:00 | £8/£5 (conc.)

Get ready for the great night of baroque bal costumé! The workshop is aiming to train the dancers for the big night (see page 12). Already got tickets for the ball or have a Festival Pass? Go free to the workshop.

Reservations recommended.

Detail from ‘‘Le menuet’’ by Sébastien Leclerc le jeune, 2nd half of the 18th century, Petit Palais, Paris.

CONCERT

Jan Waterfield, Rory McCleery & László Rózsa St. Cecilia’s Hall, 19:00 | £15/£12 (conc.)

Budapest-born soloist and chamber musician László Rózsa (recorder) joins the principal keyboard player of the award-winning ‘Gabrieli Consort & Players’, performing with Scottish Chamber Orchestra Jan Waterfield (harpsichord) as well as the notable Oxford University alumnus countertenor Rory McCleery for a concert inspired by the popular songs from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, the punchy grounds from John Playford’s The Division Flute and other British folk songs. Their concert explores simple repeating patterns (whether tune or bassline) generating an infinite variation of fancy from the musical imagination.

Jan Waterfield

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László Rózsa is currently teaching at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the University of Glasgow. Jan Waterfield regularly plays with the Academy of Ancient Music, the Dunedin Consort, the Scottish Ensemble and is also teacher & lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, as well as part of an acoustic trio, ‘Kleyne Klezmer’. Rory McCleery is the founding director of Gramophone Award-nominated vocal ensemble The Marian Consort. For further information about the artists, see our website.

László Rózsa

Rory McCleery

Virginal by Stephen Keene, London, 1668, MIMEd 4308.

Stephen Keene was born c1640 and was apprenticed to Gabriel Townsend in 1655. He became a freeman of the Joiners Company in 1662 and was Master in 1704/5.

This virginal is made of fumed oak with hand-forged iron hinges. The keyboard has 57 notes, from F1, G1 to d3. The instrument is from the Raymond Russell Collection and was restored by John Barnes in 1979.

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SUNDAY 22ND MARCH

CONCERT

4 Times Baroque St Cecilia’s Hall, 19:00 | £15/£12 (conc.)

The press describes them as the ‘‘popstars of the early music scene’’.

The Frankfurt-based quartet is part of the Eeemerging program and is one of the most exciting ensembles of the new generation of early music performers.

The friendship bond among the musicians Jan Nigges (recorder), Jonas Zschenderlein (violin), Karl Simko (cello) and Alexander von Heißen (harpsichord) is palpable on stage through their various international performances at Rheingau Musik Festival, Thüringer Bachwochen, Mozartfest Würzburg, Händel Festspiele Göttingen, Festival d’Ambronay (France), Meraner Musikwochen (Italy), Mozarteum Salzburg (Austria) among other.

For their concert at the second edition of Harpsichord en fête, 4 Times Baroque will perform pieces from their award-winning first CD “Caught in Italian Virtuosity” (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi / Sony) including Antonio Vivaldi, Arcangelo Corelli, and Giuseppe Sammartini among other.

Apart from their concert at the Harpsichord en fête festival, the quartet’s 2020 Highlights includes concerts in Istanbul, Leipzig, and Japan as well as another CD coming soon. For further information about the artists, see our website.

Single-manual Harpsichord by Johann Adolph Hass, Hamburg, 1764, MIMEd 4314.

One of the relatively few surviving harpsichords from Hamburg, this instrument was built in 1764 by Johann Adolph Hass who, like his father, was also a maker of clavichords. Although some Hass harpsichords are extremely complicated, particularly regarding registration, this instrument is more standard, having a single keyboard and three sets of strings, two at unison pitch and one an octave higher. Part of the Raymond Russell Collection, the harpsichord is now plainly decorated with quartered veneer, applied for unknown reasons in the early twentieth century (as were the tapered legs). The soundboard retains its painted flowers which are typical of Hass instruments.

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MONDAY 23RD MARCH

BAL BAROQUE

Bal Baroque Costumé Institut français d’Ecosse, 19:00 £25/£20 (conc.). Dress code applies.

Couldn’t get enough of The Palace of Versailles vibes and des ‘‘fêtes galantes’’ as depicted by Boucher, Fragonard or Watteau? Come join us for our very first baroque bal costumé ‘‘Cousins at Court, Dance & Music for Louis XIV & Charles II’’ led by in Historical Dance & Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (Glasgow) Talitha MacKenzie. The Hong-Kong born award-winning harpsichordist Tiffany Vong, who holds a Masters in Historically Informed Performance Practice at the University of Glasgow will be joining Talitha MacKenzie.

For more information about the artists, check our website.

Detail from «Le menuet» by Sébastien Leclerc le jeune, 2nd half of the 18th century, Petit Palais, Paris.

Talitha MacKenzie at Renaissance Masque in Durham, 2016

Country dances from Playford and Bremner for all will follow Rossignol group performing dances by LouisGuillaume Pécour and Claude Balon featuring musicians from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland performing François Couperin’s Concerts Royaux and will make you dream in pastel tones. Founded by Talitha MacKenzie in 2017, the group Rossignol previously performed at Holyrood Palace and Stirling Castle.

For the ball, the recommended dress code is 17th-18th century dress (long gown for ladies and kilt or breeches for gentlemen).

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Tiffany Vong

TUESDAY 24TH MARCH

CONCERT

Giulia Nuti St Cecilia’s Hall, 19:00 | £15/£12 (conc.)

Cambridge-born, Florence-raised award-winning soloist, accompanist and ensemble player Giulia Nuti will be performing a concert of English Jacobean music for the second edition of Harpsichord en fête festival.

Giulia studied at the Royal College of Music and King’s College Cambridge, before being appointed as College Musician at Queens’ College Cambridge. After having collaborated with the V&A exhibition on the domestic world of the renaissance (2005-2006), Giulia undertook a research project on providing a sound environment for exhibitions and collections working with both Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal College of Music. Giulia currently teaches harpsichord at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, where she leads the department of Early Music and her book ‘‘The performance of Italian basso continuo’’ (Ashgate, 2007) is as an essential text for performers and scholars of basso continuo.

She has appeared in concerts and music festivals throughout Europe, performed with Modo Antiquo, Musica Antiqua Roma, Il Pomo d’Oro among others. For more information about the artist, check our website.

Single manual harpsichord by Bernardius de Trasuntinus, Probably Venice, 1574, MIMEd 4471 Donated by Rodger and Lynne Mirrey in 2005, it is the oldest playable harpsichord in the University’s collection. The natural notes are of boxwood and the sharps are ebony. Its protective outer case is a modern replacement. This harpsichord originally had one set of 8-foot strings and a second set sounding an octave higher. It was altered, probably in the eighteenth century.

Although this is the only known instrument by Bernardius de Trasuntinus, other instruments by makers of the same last name survive – Alessandro, Guido and Giovanni Francesco – although it is not clear how these individuals were related if at all.

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WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH

CONCERT

David Gerrard, Naomi Burrell & Gavin Kibble Institut français d’Ecosse, 19:00 £15/£12 (conc.)

University of Oxford and the Royal Academy of Music alumnus, cellist and viola da gamba player Gavin Kibble will be joining British-Swiss violinist, associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) and historical performance specialist Naomi Burrell as well as University of Oxford and University of Edinburgh alumnus harpsichordist, clavichordist, fortepianist and organist David Gerrard for a concert at the Harpsichord en fête. Their programme will include François Couperin, Jean-Philippe Rameau, George Frideric Handel among others. For more information about the artists, check our website.

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Virginal attributed to Francesco Poggio, Florence, c1620, MIMEd 4345 The celebrated harpsichord by the court harpsichord builder to Louis XV and Louis XVI Pascal Taskin survived the turmoil of late 18th-century France and was restored by Tomasini in 1882. In the 1890s is was played publicly in Paris by the pianist Louis Diémer (1843-1919), who later bought the instrument. It was exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1889, the entrance of which was the Eiffel Tower. During World War II it remained in Vienna before returning to Paris as Raymond Russell acquired it. Since 1964, it has been part of the Russell Collection housed at St Cecilia’s Hall. It has the usual two-manual disposition of two sets of unison strings and one set sounding an octave higher with a buff stop which changes the timbre of the strings. Used as a model by countless modern harpsichord makers for more than 50 years, it played an invaluable role in the revival of interest in harpsichords.

#IFRECOMMENDS: OUR PARTNER’S EVENT

VIVALDI GLORIA

THURSDAY 26TH MARCH

Edinburgh Queen’s Hall, 19:30. From £17.50 Kindly supported by The Usher Family

MAXIM EMELYANYCHEV – Conductor / Harpsichord ANNA DENNIS – Soprano MHAIRI LAWSON – Soprano JAMES HALL – Countertenor Scottish Chamner Orchestra CHORUS GREGORY BATSLEER – Chorus Director Gloria! Vivaldi’s setting is one of music’s most uplifting choral works full of high drama and memorable tunes. Come and experience this dazzling piece alongside spectacular concerti featuring chalumeaux, theorbos, mandolins and tromba marina (a member of the violin family).

Principal Conductor Maxim Emelyanychev continues the Baroque theme with Corelli’s B-flat Concerto, beautifully crafted with an exquisite violin solo, while emotion is at the heart of Zelenka’s Miserere. This concert promises edge-of-your-seat stuff from the first downbeat. A Glasgow edition of the concert takes place at Glasgow City Halls at 7:30 pm on the next day Friday, 27 March 2020, proudly sponsored by Virgin Money.

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CLOSING CONCERT

FRIDAY 27TH MARCH

Diego Ares St Cecilia’s Hall, 19:00 | £15/£12 (conc.)

Award-winning Diego Ares studied piano with Aleksandras Jurgelionis and Aldona Dvarionaitė. Since his introduction to harpsichord at the age of fourteen by Pilar Cancio, he worked with Richard Egarr, Carmen Schibli and Genoveva Gálvez. Between 2004 and 2010 he studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. Diego performed internationally in Europe, Canada, and Japan and recorded for Columna Música, Pan Classics, and Harmonia Mundi.

Diego currently teaches harpsichord at Geneva’s Conservatoire de Musique. For his concert, Diego will be performing Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) from his most recent recording, which has been considered by several publications a substantial contribution to the work’s large discography.

Harpsichord by Pascal Taskin, Paris, 1769, MIMEd 4315 The celebrated harpsichord by the court harpsichord builder to Louis XV and Louis XVI Pascal Taskin survived the turmoil of late 18th-century France and was restored

by Tomasini in 1882. In the 1890s is was played publicly in Paris by the pianist Louis Diémer (1843-1919), who later bought the instrument. It was exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1889, the entrance of which was the Eiffel Tower. During World War II it remained in Vienna before returning to Paris as Raymond Russell acquired it. Since 1964, it has been part of the Russell Collection housed at St Cecilia’s Hall. It has the usual two-manual disposition of two sets of unison strings and one set sounding an octave higher with a buff stop which changes the timbre of the strings. Used as a model by countless modern harpsichord makers for more than 50 years, it played an invaluable role in the revival of interest in harpsichords.

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FESTIVAL PASS & BOOKINGS

You can purchase festival tickets in advance at our online box office, accessible via our website www.ifecosse.org.uk/events Access all concerts with our Festival Pass for only £60! It also gives you FREE access to the baroque dance workshop and concession price for the baroque ball.

Tickets will also be available for purchase on the door. CASH ONLY at the entrance of St. Cecilia’s Hall. Concession price applies to seniors (60+), students (-26), unemployed, disabled persons, young people (-18), members of the IFE, CAMEO, and Filmhouse. Children younger than 12 must be accompanied by adults. (Proof of eligibility for a concession price is to be shown upon entry) For booking inquiries, please visit us at the Institut français d’Ecosse front desk, call us on 0131 285 6030 or write us at ifecosse.edimbourg-cslt@diplomatie.gouv.fr Tickets will not be refunded unless a performance is canceled by the organisers in case of force majeure.

SUPPORT US

Help support the Institut français d’Ecosse by becoming a member. In addition to discounted rates at all Harpsichord en fête events, members benefit from free and discounted activities at the Institut year-round, full borrowing rights at our médiathèque, and discounts at our partner organisations. For more details on membership and further information on corporate giving and other forms of sponsorship, please visit www.ifecosse.org.uk/become-a-member.

CULTURAL PARTNERS With sincere thanks to:

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#readytobaroque SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE! FRI. 20/03

TUE. 24/03

7 pm -- Opening Concert: John Kitchen & Sally Carr @Institut français d’Ecosse.

7 pm -- Giulia Nuti @St. Cecilia’s Hall WED. 25/03

SAT. 21/03

7 pm -- David Gerard, Naomi Burrell & Gavin Kibble @Institut français d’Ecosse

1 pm -- Dance Workshop @Institut français d’Ecosse.

THU. 26/03

7 pm -- Jan Waterfield, Rory McCleery & László Rózsa concert @St. Cecilia’s Hall

7 pm -- Vivaldi Gloria with SCO Chorus @Queens Hall

SUN. 22/03

FRI. 27/03

7 pm -- 4 Times Baroque @St. Cecilia’s Hall

7 pm -- Closing Concert: Diego Ares @St. Cecilia’s Hall

MON. 23/03

7 pm -- Baroque Ball Cousins at Court

@Institut français d’Ecosse

VENUES Institut français d’Ecosse West Parliament Square Edinburgh EH1 1RF

St. Cecilia’s Hall The University of Edinburgh 50 Niddry Street Edinburgh EH1 1LG

Both venues are accessible with lifts and step-free access.

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Brochure Editor, Design & Illustrations Faika Cansin Stewart Printer Ivanhoe Caledonian

© artists, authors, team of Institut français d’Ecosse & St Cecilia’s Hall.

19 Harpsichord en fête. March 2020, Edinburgh.

Book now via www.ifecosse.org.uk/events Access all concerts with our Festival Pass for only £60!

ifecosse.org.uk 20-27 March 2020

#readytobaroque

St. Cecilia’s Hall

The University of Edinburgh 50 Niddry Street Edinburgh EH1 1LG

Institut français d’Ecosse West Parliament Square Edinburgh EH1 1RF

Both venues are accessible with lifts and step-free access. @ifecosse @InstitutFrancaisEcosse

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