lautten compagney BERLIN
CHIRPING OF THE NIGHTINGALE
Mr. Playford's English Dancing Master
„Good Fellows must go learn to Dance"
The ancient Greeks did it. The great philosopher Plato recommended it, and even the noblest heroes did not disdain it. After serious studies, it brings relaxation, makes the body active and strong, and its posture graceful. Every modern young gentleman should do it, found John Playford and published the first edition of his "English Dancing Master" in 1651, in which he printed 105 popular song and dance melodies along with dance instructions. He hit the nerve of an audience that, in the face of restless times shaken by civil wars, needed musical distraction more than ever. The booklet became a mega seller. By 1728, 18 revised editions had been published - and in the meantime, the fashion wave of Country Dance spilled over the channel and flooded the dance floors of Europe.
However, if you only heard what is in Playford at the concert, the pleasure would be quite meager. There is only the bare melody to be found - and as so often in so-called Early Music, the most important things are not on paper. For the lautten compagney, it is a challenge for today's musicians to creatively synthesize their experiences in Early Music with modern stylistic elements and to create their own arrangements. Thus, artificially constructed forms stand beside minimalist strictness, virtuoso variations are played alongside individual improvisation, in a range from tender to vigorous, from the Pastorale to the Jam Session.
The lautten compagney BERLIN is one of the most renowned orchestras of Early Music. Since its founding in 1984, it has thrilled music lovers around the world. In the autumn of 2019, it was awarded the OPUS Klassik as Ensemble of the Year. With concerts, opera performances, and crossover projects, it sets unique musical accents. For its unusual and innovative programs, it is equally appreciated by audiences and national and international cultural sections. Besides its performances in Berlin, the lautten compagney tours about 100 concerts per year across Germany, Europe, and the world. Its last major tours outside Europe took it to 10 cities in China and to Bogotá in Colombia. In 2024, the lautten compagney will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Cast
LAUTTEN COMPAGNEY BERLIN
Martin Ripper, recorder
Anne von Hoff, violin
Irene Klein, viola da gamba
Peter Bauer, percussion
Wolfgang Katschner, lute
Hans-Werner Apel, lute
Daniel Trumbull, organ / harpsichord
Supported by a media partnership with HNA
Doors open at 6 PM