Beverley Early Music Festival 2016

& East Riding Early Music Festival

2 7 – 3 0 M AY 2 0 1 6

Box Office 01904 658338

www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

Welcome The 2016 Beverley & East Riding Early Music Festival runs from Friday 27 – Monday 30 May and is packed with

Concerts covering seven centuries of European music – many of which ARE designed to celebrate the Virgin

Mary, the Queen of Heaven – from Hildegard of Bingen to Palestrina, and from Lassus to Monteverdi.

Instrumental music gets a thorough airing with JS Bach’s remarkable Brandenburg Concertos presented by the acclaimed instrumental ensemble, Florilegium; the Fitzwilliam’s focus on Beethoven’s extraordinary legacy of string quartets, and Lucie Skeaping takes a light-hearted look at the bawdy gigs of the 16th century. Guest artists also include soprano Elin Manahan Thomas and lutenist Elizabeth Kenny; The Cardinall’s Musick and the Consone Quartet.

The Festival’s learning and participation programme continues apace with workshops for up and coming recorder/flute players led by Ashley Solomon, and for choral singers of all ages directed by Andrew Carwood.

There will be workshops for school children from across Beverley focusing on Purcell’s masterpiece Dido & Aeneas. Led by members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, there is something for everyone to learn and enjoy.

We look forward to welcoming you all to Beverley this May! Delma Tomlin MBE, Festival Director

2

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

F R I D AY 2 7 M AY Event 1 Venue Tickets

2.00pm – c.3.00pm Toll Gavel United Church, Toll Gavel, Beverley HU17 9AA £12.00 (concessions £10.00, students £5.00)

Consone Q u a rt e t

Agata Daraskaite, Magdalena Loth-Hill violins Louisa Tatlow viola George Ross cello Mozart

String Quartet No 10 in F K.590 ‘Prussian’

Mendelssohn

String Quartet No 1 in Eb Op.12

Written forty years apart, the last of Mozart's string quartets joins the first of Mendelssohn's for a taster of classical and early romantic string quartet repertoire.

The last "Prussian" quartet shows Mozart's exuberant writing even in the final year of his life, whilst Mendelssohn's first published quartet was heavily inspired by the late quartet style of Beethoven, who had passed away just two years before.

The NCEM is one of eight major partner organisations from across the European Union involved in the eeemerging project that aims to promote new talent in young professional early music ensembles. This dynamic programme is led by the Centre culturel de rencontre d’Ambronay, France and brings together Ars Ramovš, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Centre de musique ancienne de l’Université de musique de Bucarest, Romania; Centre de musique ancienne de Riga, Latvia; Ghislieri Musica, Pavia, Italy; Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen, Germany; Ozango Productions, Strasbourg, France and the National Centre for Early Music in York.

Winners of the EUBO Development Trust Prize at the 2015 York Early Music International Young Artists Competition, the Consone Quartet make a welcome return to Yorkshire with these two masterworks from the string quartet repertory.

“Skilful playing” The Arts Desk Promoted by the NCEM

ncem.co.uk/eee

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

3

F R I D AY 2 7 M AY Event 2 Venue Tickets

5.00pm – c.6.00pm Beverley Grammar School, Queensgate, Beverley HU17 8NF £3.00

James Redwood composer Cherry Forbes oboe Henrietta Wayne violin Christopher Bucknall harpsichord with Jennifer Cohen flute & Music Students from the University of York Beverley Grammar School students directed by Zoe Hughes and pupils from Walkington, Keldmarsh and Beverley Minster Primary Schools with

T h e Ag e O l d S to ry Throughout the week leading into the Festival, members of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (OAE) will be working with Beverley Grammar School and its feeder primaries to re-imagine Dido and Aeneas

by Henry Purcell. One of England’s finest composers, Purcell gives us rich material to work with, from delightful choruses, to mischievous witches and raucous sailors. Taking themes of love and loss, we will create our own opera using old stories and themes to inspire new work.

Presented by the National Centre for Early Music and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Supported by the Mayfield Valley Arts Trust

Buy a festival saver ticket for events 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and save 20%

4

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

F R I D AY 2 7 M AY Event 3 Venue Tickets

7.30pm St Mary’s Church, North Bar Within, Beverley, HU17 8DL £25.00 (concessions £20.00, students £5.00)

F lo r i l e g i u m

directed by Ashley Solomon

Ashley Solomon flute/recorder Elspeth Robertson recorder Bojan Cicic, Alice Evans, Elin White violins Jane Rogers viola Jennifer Morsches cello Carina Cosgrave bass Terence Charlston harpsichord

T h e B ac h Fa m i ly E n t e rta i n s

Florilegium return to Beverley in their 25th anniversary season with an exciting programme including two of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, together with the virtuosic and dramatic flute concerto in D minor by his illustrious son, CPE Bach. Their programme opens with a delightful Overture by the French dancing master Leclair.

“Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos ...this new release from Florilegium should be at the top of anyone’s shopping list”. Classical CD Choice of the Month, Jan 2015

florilegium.org.uk

10.00am – 4.15pm | St Mary’s Parish Hall, North Bar Within, Beverley | £18.00 (students/observers £6.00)

T r i o - S o n ata Wo r ks h o p Day: S at u r day 2 8 M ay We are delighted to be joined by Ashley Solomon to direct a workshop for aspiring flute/recorder trio-sonata groups working with Ashley on repertoire of their choice. A harpsichord will be available (pitch A=440) for accompanists.

For solos/duos who do not have their own accompanist, one can be provided. We can accommodate ensembles at A=415 but without keyboard accompaniment.

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

5

S A T U R D AY 2 8 M AY Event 4 Venue Tickets

1.00pm – c.2.15pm Toll Gavel United Church, Toll Gavel £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00)

E l i z a b e t h K e n n y theorbo E l i n M a n a h a n T h o m a s soprano Q u e e n s o f H e av e n a n d E a rt h

In this dramatic programme, Elin Manahan Thomas and Elizabeth Kenny return to explore early musical portrayals of queens – saintly, virginal and secular. Powerful female characters are brought to life through music that spans the centuries from Hildegard of Bingen to Carissimi, from Monteverdi to Handel and scales great emotional – not to mention vocally virtuosic – heights. This is a concert of thrilling monologues, narratives and meditations, interspersed with reflective instrumental interludes presented by two of the finest virtuosos of their generation.

“Sublimely sung” Gramophone (Elin Manahan Thomas) “indecently beautiful” Toronto Post (Elizabeth Kenny)

elinmanahanthomas.org | elizabethkenny.co.uk

Event 5 Venue Tickets

4.30pm – c.5.30pm St John of Beverley RC Church, 5 North Bar Without, Beverley HU17 7AG £7.50

An illustrated talk by historian David Neave

Arts and Crafts on the Wolds:

T h e R e s to r at i o n o f S t Ja m e s ’ C h u rc h , Wa rt e r Twenty years ago the redundant church of St James in the picturesque village of Warter was threatened with demolition. Through the determination of a group of volunteers the church and its superb collection of Arts and Crafts monuments and stained glass were saved and the building has become a heritage centre and venue for concerts and lectures.

6

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

S A T U R D AY 2 8 M AY Event 6 Venue Tickets

7.30pm C O N C E R T B Y C A N D L E L I G H T Beverley Minster, Highgate, Beverley HU17 ODN £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 Cardinall’s Musick

directed by Andrew Carwood

I n H o n o u r o f t h e V i rg i n The Virgin Mary has long inspired great music from great musicians and this programme featuring four of the finest Renaissance composers – Lassus, Victoria, Byrd and Palestrina – is a perfect programme to present in this most glorious sacred setting.

Opening with the sumptuous Missa Osculetur me inspired by the Song of Songs (a book often used for texts in honour of the Virgin), Lassus relishes the sonorities of eight voices talking in dialogue. The second half includes an entire sequence of music for the Mass of the Nativity of the Virgin (September 8th) by William Byrd interspersed with plainsong. Three less well-known pieces by three Spanish masters begin the half but the Italian giant Palestrina has the last word and is seen at his most ebullient in his eight-voice Magnificat primi toni – a work clearly designed for a grand celebration!

“Andrew Carwood and his group have won countless accolades for their series of Byrd's Latin sacred music … they achieve an outstanding level of musicianship.” The Guardian

cardinallsmusick.com

10.30am – 4.30pm | Hexagon Music Centre, Coltman Avenue, Beverley HU17 9LP £18.00 (students/observers £6.00)

C h o r a l Wo r ks h o p : S u n day 2 9 M ay

Following on from event 6, this workshop offers singers an opportunity to work with Andrew Carwood, director of this acclaimed vocal ensemble on some of the repertoire heard in their concert programme and related works.

If applications are sufficient we hope that this will include the splendid double-choir setting of ‘Missa Osculetur me’ by Lassus. With thanks to the East Riding of Yorkshire Music Hub

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

7

S U N D AY 2 9 M AY Event 7 Venue Tickets

2.30pm – c.3.30pm St Mary’s Parish Hall, North Bar Within £7.50

An illustrated talk by Lucie Skeaping

Presenter of BBC R3’s Early Music Show

‘Singing Simpkin a n d ot h e r B aw dy J i g s ’

Musical comedy on the 17th century stage.

Comical, bawdy and sometimes libellous, the 'dramatic jig' of the Tudor and Stuart period was not simply a dance but a short musical play. With a cast of whores, lechers, cuckolds, housewives, ruffians and bumpkins, jigs were through-sung to popular tunes and featured elements of dance, slapstick and disguise.

They drew large crowds to London's playhouses where they regularly followed as afterpieces, offering a lively antidote to more sober theatrical fare.

Lucie’s book ‘Singing Simpkin and other Bawdy Jigs’ reconstructs nine jig texts, reuniting them with their original tunes: “The most substantial and authoritative study of this elusive and much misunderstood genre” Times Literary Supplement

Event 8 Venue Tickets

7.30pm St James’ Church, Warter YO42 1XR £20.00 (concessions £18.00, students £5.00)

Fitzwilliam S t r i n g Q u a rt e t Lucy Russell, Marcus Barcham Stevens violins Alan George viola Heather Tuach cello Beethoven String Quartet Op. 74 in Eb ‘The Harp’ String Quartet Op. 95 in F minor String Quartet Op. 135 in F As the renowned Fitzwilliam String Quartet prepare for their latest Beethoven recording, they return to Beverley with a programme featuring three of the composer’s most groundbreaking quartets: the so-called “Harp” perhaps the most accessible of his middle period quartets; Quartetto Serioso (Op.95), surely one of the most tersely confrontational works he ever wrote, and certainly the shortest of his 16 quartets; and finally the elliptical F major – the last one of all – in which he seems to be turning his back on the cosmic philosophical musings of its four mighty predecessors, instead striking out in new directions with something at once leaner, more genial and high spirited.

“The Fitzwilliam String Quartet, in my opinion, is, and has been for many years, Britain’s premier string quartet ensemble…….a flagship British ensemble that should be the pride of that nation.” Fanfare Magazine, USA

fitzwilliamquartet.org

lucieskeaping.co.uk

5.30pm Beverley Minster

FESTIVAL EVENSONG

Beverley Minster Choir directed by Robert Poyser Music by William Byrd

8

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

M O N D AY 3 0 M AY Event 9 1.00pm Venue St Mary’s Church, North Bar Within, Beverley Tickets £15.00 (concessions £13.00, students £5.00)

The F l au ta d o r s Recorder Q u a rt e t

Catherine Fleming, Merlin Harrison, Celia Ireland, Ian Wilson with Leo Chadburn recorders

Roya l R i va l s

C O N C E RT B Y C A N D L E L I G H T Event 10 7.30pm Venue Beverley Minster Tickets £20.00 reserved seating front central nave £15.00 (concessions £12.00) unreserved seating front side aisles £10.00 (concessions £8.00, students £5.00) unreserved seating rear nave

U n i v e r s i t y o f Yo r k Chamber Choir C o m pag n i a d ’ I s t ru m e n t i U n i v e r s i t y o f Yo r k B a ro q u e E n s e m b l e with Gawain Glenton cornetto Sue Addison, Barrie Webb, Adrian France sackbuts David Miller chitarrone directed by Peter Seymour

Monteverdi V e s p ro d e l l a B e ata V e rg i n e

Performing on beautiful Renaissance instruments

by Thomas Prescott, The Flautadors explore the connections between Elizabeth I and her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots. This programme, created especially for the Beverley Festival, features some of the finest consort music of the 16th century with works by Byrd, Holborne, Dowland and Tye. “Beautifully poised and deliciously played.”

Gramophone

Monteverdi’s famous 1610 publication Vespro della Beata Vergine has become a central piece in the classical canon. Monteverdi presents stunningly colourful orchestral forces – cornetti, sackbuts, dulzian, recorders, strings, chitarroni, organ – set alongside the polychoral splendour, plainchant and stunningly ornate solo vocal writing – features which made this masterpiece an essential part of the choral repertoire.

We perform this sequence at high pitch, that used in Venice at the time, and will incorporate Monteverdi’s polyphony and ornate solo writing into a liturgical sequence which offers the maximum impact to Monteverdi’s music.

Presented in association with

www.theflautadors.org

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

9

D I A RY DAT E S Monday 21 March 7.30pm National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church,York YO1 9TL £16.00 (concessions £14.00, students £5.00)

Christophe Coin & Richard Boothby bass viols

L’Entente Cordiale Celebrating alongside the 2016 European Day of Early Music organised in association with the European Early Music Network [REMA], we are delighted to welcome two of Europe’s finest virtuoso instrumentalists to York in a programme of Anglo-French music examining the two sides of this sometimes complex partnership as represented by Locke and Simpson v Ste Colombe and Couperin.

8 – 1 6 July 20 16

Fa i r i e s , W i t c h e s and Ariel Beings!

The 2016 Festival takes the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare as its central theme with guest artists including Ensemble Lucidarium; The Sixteen; Barokksolistene with violinist Bjarte Eike; The City Musick and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Full details and tickets from www.ncem.co.uk/yemf

This concert will be recorded for broadcast

by BBC Radio 3

AS AN NCEM PATRON

AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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 would like to find out more, please contact Delma Tomlin MBE telephone 01904 632220 | email: support@ncem.co.uk | www.ncem.co.uk/patrons

10

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

B O O K I N G I N F O R M AT I O N

Box Office 01904 658338 email: boxoffice@ncem.co.uk www.ncem.co.uk/bemf The Festival is administered by the National Centre for Early Music, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL How to book: Tickets are available to buy online, by telephone, by post or in person and are also available to print at home.

On-line: Visit our web site at tickets.ncem.co.uk and use the secure on-line booking service.

By telephone: Please contact the box office on 01904 658338.

There is a non-refundable £1.50 administration charge per transaction for online and telephone booking with an optional 50p for second class post.

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 are available to personal visitors from the Beverley Tourist Information Centre, 34 Butcher Row, Beverley HU17 0AB. Tickets can also be purchased in person from the NCEM Box Office, St Margaret’s Church, Walmgate, York YO1 9TL open 9.00 – 5.00 Mon-Fri. Festival Saver Ticket: Buy a festival saver ticket for events 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and save 20%!

This offer includes front nave seats in Beverley Minster and is necessarily subject to availability.

On the day of the concert: Tickets will be available on-line as Print at Home Tickets up to 2 hours prior to the concert. Remaining tickets will be available to purchase on the door of the concert 1 hour prior to the performance, subject to availability.

Stay In Touch

Seating: Seats are unreserved except in the front Nave of Beverley Minster and for NCEM Patrons.

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.

Venues: Please note that Warter Church is 12 miles North West of Beverley. If you need transport, please contact us on 01904 658338 when booking. All other venues are within walking distance of central Beverley.

Group bookings: Buy nine tickets for any one concert and receive one further ticket free!

GROUP DISCOUNTS All tickets must be booked in advance at the same time.

N

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. The NCEM is a Typetalk Approved business.

Visitor Information: To book accommodation please ring Tourist Information on 01482 391672, email beverley.tic@eastriding.gov.uk or log on to www.visithullandeastyorkshire.com/places-to-stay

To stay in touch email us at boxoffice@ncem.co.uk or sign up at www.ncem.co.uk

Early Music Festival & EAST RIDING

| Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

11

& East Riding

2 7 – 3 0 M AY 2 0 1 6

HighlightS F R I DAY 2 7 M AY

C o n s o n e Q u a rt e t F lo r i l e g i u m / B r a n d e n bu rg C o n c e rto s S AT U R DAY 2 8 M AY

Elin Manahan Thomas and Elizabeth Kenny T h e C a r d i n a l l ’ s M u s i c k / M u s i c f o r t h e V i rg i n S U N DAY 2 9 M AY

Lu c i e S k e a p i n g F i t z w i l l i a m S t r i n g Q u a rt e t M O N DAY 3 0 M AY

T h e F l au ta d o r s U n i v e r s i t y o f Yo r k / M o n t e v e r d i V e s p e r s

Box Office 01904 658338 | www.ncem.co.uk/bemf

Design | RedBonsai.co.uk 01759319471 Front cover image: Mary, Queen of Heaven c.1485/1500 Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, USA

Early Music Festival

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.