& EAST RIDING
Box Office 01904 658338
www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
W ELC OME to the 2015 Festival – a mixture of anniversaries celebrating justice, liberty and the lives of some remarkable musicians.
Our starting point is 1215 with the sealing of the Magna Carta – the first time the feudal barons of England attempted to limit the powers of the King to protect their constitutional rights – a time of Robin Hood, myths, mythologies and great power struggles across the land.
Guests include The Tallis Scholars, Carole Cerasi and members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment – some of the world’s finest early music specialists. We are delighted to welcome them, and you, to the festival here in the county town of the East Riding – itself a seat of justice in the present day. Delma Tomlin MBE, Festival Director
Photograph Beverley Minster by Terry Suthers
Our finishing point is in 18th century Europe – a cauldron of political change demanding justice and liberty for all. Between times, there are moments of sublime musical calm alongside snapshots of the 21st century – atmospheric, melancholic and intensely beautiful.
Highlights of the festival include concerts featuring a variety of younger musicians including pupils from both Beverley Grammar and Girls’ High schools and workshops engaging with primary school children from across the Beverley area.
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Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
W E D N E S D AY 2 0 M AY Event 1 7.30pm Venue Toll Gavel United Church, Toll Gavel, Beverley Tickets £20.00 (concessions £18.00, students £5.00)
Girasoli Alison Bury violin Katie Heller, Alan George violas Andrew Skidmore cello Elizabeth Bradley double bass Lesley Schatzberger clarinet Sue Dent horn Alastair Mitchell bassoon
Krommer Allegro moderato from Clarinet Quintet, Op. 95 Mozart Horn Quintet, K. 407 Beethoven Septet, Op. 20 Girasoli grew out of John Eliot Gardiner’s Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique which reproduced the exact [marathon] programme of an Akademie given by Beethoven in Vienna in 1800 – a concert which included his magnificent Septet. Beethoven’s revolutionary sympathies are well known as was the personal injustice of his deafness and it is fitting that this extraordinary work was chosen by Girasoli to launch Jessie’s Fund – a York-based organisation that helps children with special needs to communicate
through music. Now celebrating the Fund’s 20th anniversary, the group returns to this popular work in tandem with the Mozart Horn Quintet, bringing this extraordinary music to life through the transparency and clarity of instruments of the period. “.. excellent intonation, balance, and ensemble, and a delightful freshness and vitality…an impressive demonstration.” Daily Telegraph www.jessiesfund.org.uk
Buy a festival saver ticket for events 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 and save over 15% £113.00 (concessions £100.00)
Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
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T H U R S D AY 2 1 M AY Event 2 Venue Tickets
10.30am - c.11.30am Beverley Guildhall, Register Square, Beverley HU17 9XX £5.00 including coffee/tea on arrival
Under standing the Conductus An opportunity to engage with the artists and scholarly team to develop a fuller understanding of medieval music in general and the conductus in particular led by Mark Everist, University of Southampton. See event 3. www.conductus.ac.uk
Event 3 Venue Tickets
1.00pm - c.2.00pm The Quire, Beverley Minster £12.00 (concessions £10.00, students £5.00)
Conductus The forgotten song of the Middle Ages Three Medieval Tenors: John Potter, Christopher O’Gorman and Rogers Covey-Crump While Notre Dame was being built in Paris, from 1163, the cathedral's plainsong was elaborated as organum, and the motet brought in words and music from the outside world. By the time Beverley Minster was being built around 1220, a third form, the conductus, was also flourishing throughout western Europe. Often polyphonic, it set Latin verse, sometimes on sacred themes, sometimes satirising corrupt clergy, and combined the metrical rhythm of the motet with the rhetorical freedom of chant. “Seriously classy performances” Gramophone www.john-potter.co.uk/conductus.php
This unique synthesis of words and music has been the subject of a Southampton University research project led by Prof Mark Everist and funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council in partnership with the NCEM, and has resulted in three CDs for Hyperion and concerts in Britain and Germany.
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Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
T H U R S D AY 2 1 M AY Event 4 Venue Tickets
7.30pm – c.9.00pm St Mary’s Church, North Bar Within, Beverley £12.00 (concessions £5.00 including parents and students)
James Redwood animateur, composer Cherry Forbes oboe Cecelia Bruggemeyer double bass Henrietta Wayne violin Robert Howarth keyboard with Beverley Grammar School directed by Zoe Hughes Beverley Girls’ High School directed by Sarah Ward University of York Baroque Ensemble and Chamber Choir
I r age , I melt, I bur n Members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment return to Beverley for a creative composition project inspired by Handel’s masterpiece Acis and Galatea. From 18 May students from Beverley High and Beverley Grammar schools will be exploring themes from Handel through drama, composition and song. Led by composer James Redwood, supported by the University of York Music Education Group, students will become composers, performers and directors in what we hope will be an enlightening experience for all! www.oae.co.uk
Supported by the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and the Hull & East Riding Charitable Foundation.
Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
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F R I D AY 2 2 M AY Event 5 Venue Tickets
1.00pm - c.2.00pm Toll Gavel United Church £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00)
Carole Cerasi
harpsichord
Por traits in Sound 2015 is a rich anniversary year for the harpsichord and we are delighted to welcome one of the UK’s finest harpsichordists to help us explore two exponents of the instrument – Jacque Duphly (b.1715) and Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (b.1665). Born into the world where the aristocrat ruled supreme across France, musicians needed to maintain their paymasters’ patronage through carefully chosen, flattering portraits. This fascinating collection of musical dedications illuminates a world which disappeared alongside Duphly himself who died just one day after the storming of the Bastille in Paris – the Old Régime was indeed at an end! “Cerasi is a keyboard player of great flair and musical imagination.” The Guardian www.carolecerasi.com
10 – 14 AUGUST
EARLY MUSIC AT THE NCEM
3 – 11 JULY
SUMMER SCHOOL The Sun King and the Busker; A music theatre production created for 10 – 15 year olds
Celebrating the music of England and France from the Battle of Agincourt to the court of Louis XIV
www.ncem.co.uk/mp2015
www.ncem.co.uk/yemf
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Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
F R I D AY 2 2 M AY Event 6 Venue Tickets
7.30pm Toll Gavel United Church £20.00 (concessions £18.00, students £5.00)
Joglaresa Belinda Sykes voice, bagpipes, director Angela Hicks voice, harp May Robertson fidel, voice Magnus Mehta, Louise Morgan voice, percussion
Robber s, Rebels and Royals We are delighted to welcome these ever rebellious, highly talented and colourful musicians back to Beverley in a programme celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. Tales of Robin Hood, King John, outlaws, rebels, social justice and injustice, are all interwoven with Joglaresa's electrifying songs that challenge the supreme authority of kings, criticise the Catholic Church and highlight the lives, loves, imprisonment and taxation of ordinary folk (or barons) at the time of the Great Charter – the Magna Carta Libertatum. “irresistibly catchy tunes... compulsive rhythmic energy” The Telegraph www.joglaresa.com
Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
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S AT U R D AY 2 3 M AY Event 7 Venue Tickets
12.30pm – c.1.30pm St Mary’s Church £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00)
Imago Mundi Clare Wilkinson voice Sofie Vanden Eynde lute, theorbo, director Moneim Adwan voice, oud
Melancholy. Longing for the inaccessible. Liberty denied. Yearning to lose oneself in paradise. An impossible love. Justice denied. In the Renaissance era melancholy was a source of inspiration for artists who were constantly seeking equilibrium. From the darkest meanderings of their souls, within the space of a breath, their spirits were uplifted. Sufis seek out their path heavenwards aided by music and poetry. Discomfort is a source of beauty for them. In this programme, English lute song and Arabic song join hands across the miles. Music is a universal language, with the power to touch us all. “delicious“ The Telegraph
4.00pm – c.5.00pm Toll Gavel United Church £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00)
Bethany Seymour soprano Peter Seymour harpsichord Madness and torment!
Divine Madness: Souls in Exile
www.imagomundi.be
Event 8 Venue Tickets
Madness was a recurrent preoccupation with 17th century dramatists and the extreme, colourful texts inspired Purcell, Blow and their contemporaries to some of their most intense and dramatic settings, exploring the ever widening boundaries of expression and emotion. The idea of freedom from the torment of love and of lost love is a recurring theme. A few decades later, Handel wrote some of his most expressive and dramatic music during his time in Italy from 1706. His great collection of Italian cantatas often deal with topics such as freedom from betrayal and injustice as well as the loss of the heart’s liberty and life. This programme promises a dramatic and emotional experience! “Bethany Seymour’s elaborate vocal decoration superbly sung will surely place her among Europe’s leading Baroque sopranos” Yorkshire Post www.bethanyseymour.co.uk Bethany was the NCEM’s 2012 BBC Performing Arts Fund Music Fellow
Buy a Saturday Saver Ticket for events 7, 8 and 9 and save £10.00 £45.00 (concessions £41.00)
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Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
S AT U R D AY 2 3 M AY Event 9 Venue Tickets
CONCERT BY C ANDLELIGHT 7.30pm Beverley Minster £25.00 reserved seating front central nave £20.00 unreserved seating front side aisles £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00) unreserved seating rear nave
The
Ta l l i s S c h o l a r s directed by Peter
Phillips
“2015 marks the 80th birthday of Arvo Pärt and the 500th birthday of John Sheppard. I have always thought that Pärt’s music fits uncommonly well with some of the Renaissance masters’, and there is none more suitable than Sheppard: the same timeless atmosphere, the same ability to move in and out of silence, the same intense view of God. Media vita is Sheppard’s masterpiece - a colossal slice of polyphony encasing the Nunc dimittis, which is chanted; Pärt's Triodion has the same grandeur and depth of expression. Our programme is rounded out with two masterpieces by Tallis.” Peter Phillips Tallis Sheppard Tallis Pärt
Loquebantur variis linguis Media vita Sancte deus Nunc dimittis
Pärt Sheppard Sheppard Pärt
5.30pm Beverley Minster Admission Free of Charge
FESTIVAL EVENSONG
Beverley Minster Choir directed by Robert Poyser Music by Thomas Tallis
Tribute to Caesar Gaude, gaude, gaude Libera nos I and II Triodion
“…The sound coming from The Tallis Scholars almost surpassed the humanly possible…” The Telegraph www.thetallischolars.co.uk
Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
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S AT U R D AY 2 3 M AY
S U N D AY 2 4 M AY
Saturday 23 May 10.00am – 3.00pm Beverley Guildhall, Register Square Tickets £15.00 (students and observers £10.00) Please book by 15 May. Music will be available via: www.ncem.co.uk/joglaresa
Sunday 24 May 10.30am – 4.30pm Hexagon Centre, Coltman Avenue, Beverley Tickets £15.00 (students and observers £10.00) Please book by 15 May. Music will be available via: www.ncem.co.uk/TTSworkshop
A Tudor Wor kshop
Rebellion in Medieval Music A Workshop for Voices and Instruments led by Belinda Sykes and members of Joglaresa. Medieval music has been enjoying a resurgence of interest over the last few decades partly because it can be so creative. Belinda will lead sessions that transform the most minimal of manuscript material into a performance practice accessible to audiences today.
A Workshop for Singers led by Patrick Craig – a member of the acclaimed ensemble The Tallis Scholars Following event 9, singers are invited to join Patrick Craig in an exploration of the glorious repertory of the Tudors alongside some thoughtful compositions from the present day. The workshop is open to all voices; a reasonable level of sight singing will be advantageous. The day will conclude with an informal performance at 4.00pm open to all, free of charge. With thanks to the East Riding of Yorkshire Music Hub
NCEM PATRONS Supporting innovation, excellence and creative learning
Meet early music specialists and like-minded individuals through informal receptions, supper parties and concerts and have a unique opportunity to explore some of the hidden corners of Beverley and the East Riding in the company of experts and friends. If you are interested in joining us please telephone 01904 632220 or email patrons@ncem.co.uk visit www.ncem.co.uk/patrons
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Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
BOOKING INFORMATION
Box Office 01904 658338 email: boxoffice@ncem.co.uk www.ncem.co.uk/bemf The Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival is administered by the National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL Tickets are available to buy on-line, by telephone, by post or in person. On-line: Visit our web site at www.ncem.co.uk/bemf and use the secure on-line booking service.
By telephone: Please contact the box office on 01904 658338. There is a non-refundable £1.00 administration charge for each transaction made on-line or by telephone. This includes the postage of your tickets if time permits.
By post: Write to the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL enclosing an SAE. Cheques should be made payable to the National Centre for Early Music. Please use a ‘large’ stamp if ordering 10+ tickets. In person: A limited number of individual tickets for events 1 – 9 are available to personal visitors from the Beverley Tourist Information Centre, 34 Butcher Row, Beverley HU17 OAB. Tickets for all events can also be purchased in person from the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL Open 9.00 – 5.00 Monday to Friday. Festival Saver/Saturday Saver Tickets: Saver Tickets are only available by telephoning the NCEM Box Office on 01904 658338. Please note that all concerts must be booked at the same time and the offers are subject to availability. Please also note that Saver Tickets cannot be purchased in conjunction with any other ticket offer. On the day of the concert: Tickets will be available to purchase on the door of the concert 45 minutes prior to the performance, subject of course to availability.
Seating: Seats are unreserved except where indicated. Reservations: Tickets must be paid for within three working days of reservation and at least 24 hours prior to the performance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the venue immediately prior to the performance. Concession prices: The price shown in brackets is the concession price for those aged 65 and over, registered disabled and a companion, and the unemployed. Refunds: We regret that refunds can only be given if the concert is sold out and we are able to sell on the ticket. Please note that there will be a 10% administration charge. General enquiries: Please ring 01904 632220 for general information. Group bookings: Buy nine tickets for any one concert and receive one further ticket free! All tickets must be booked in advance at the same time. Accessible facilities: The Festival offers a warm welcome to everyone. The NCEM website www.ncem.co.uk is accessible to the partially sighted and assistance dogs are welcome at concerts. For detailed information, please ring 01904 632220.
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The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved business. General enquiries: To book accommodation please ring Tourist Information on 01482 391672 email Beverley.tic@eastriding.gov.uk or visit www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com/places-to-stay
Stay In Touch
Gift Vouchers
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These can be purchased from the Box Office in amounts of £5 and £10.
Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING
| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
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Girasoli
W E D N E S D AY 2 0 M AY
John Potter, Rogers Covey-Crump, Christopher O’Gorman OAE/Beverley Girls’ High and Beverley Grammar Schools T H U R S D AY 2 1 M AY
Carole Cerasi Joglaresa
F R I D AY 2 2 M AY
Vocal & Instrumental Workshop Clare Wilkinson, Sofie Vanden Eynde, Moneim Adwan Bethany Seymour Festival Evensong The Tallis Scholars S AT U R D AY 2 3 M AY
Design | www.RedBonsai.co.uk 01759319471 Front cover image: ©De Agostini/ The British Library Board, 11067302.
& EAST RIDING
Choral Workshop
S U N D AY 2 4 M AY
Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf
yorkearlymusic
The National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate York Y01 9TL
The Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival is directed by Delma Tomlin MBE and administered by the National Centre for Early Music through the York Early Music Foundation registered charity number 1068331. All details are correct at the time of going to press but the Festival reserves the right to make alterations to the published programme – if necessary.