Run
Turn II
Song
Play
Sound I
Sound II
Company (a combination of Play and Song)
Theatre of Voices, Paul Hillier and London Sinfonietta are celebrating the 80 years birthday of the Danish composer Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen. Edition WH serves a drink to celebrate the composer after the concert.
The concert is in collaboration with SNYK, Music Around and The Royal Library (Det Kongelige Bibliotek).
Tickets at Billetlugen
The collaboration between ToV and LS and PH started at a breakfast table in a hotel in Krakow in 2009. The following year the ensembles returned to Sacrum Profanum with an entire Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen programme consisting of the first performances Song/Play/Company and the work ‘Moving Still’ which is written for PH and Kronos for the H.C.Andersen 200th anniversary.
Now it is Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen who has an anniversary – however, only 80th! - and the ensembles have been given no less than 4 new works to first perform at today’s concert. The programme will be repeated at HCMF on 25th Nov this year.
The text and the music that binds the ensembles together in more than one way, is John Dowland’s immortal signature piece ‘Flow my tears’. Dowland was employed in Elsignore by Christian IV when he first published this work. The king had attended his sister Ann’s wedding in London and had been introduced to everything modern in music and theatre.
In order to enhance the international recognition of his court, King Christian subsequently hired several high profile artists – among these John Dowland, who was no doubt the most famous musician/artist of his time.
The circle runs full again when London Sinfonietta comes to town to work with the English, Copenhagen-based conductor Paul Hillier and Theatre of Voices. ‘Flow my tears’ is subjected to Holmgreen’s wringing maschine more than 400 years after its publication. Both text and musical elements have been split into atoms and is served up anew in the present works. Dowland’s material works as a sort of dna for all pieces on tonight’s programme. Enjoy following the thin threads of Dowland throughout the pieces...
Flow my tears, fall from your springs
Exiled for ever let me mourn
Where night’s black bird her sad infamy sings
There let me live forlorn
Down vain lights, shine you no more
No nights are dark enough for those
That in despair their last fortunes deplore...
Recorded for DR for broadcast on P2 - 23rd Oct 19.30
Live-recording for Dacapo Records
THEATRE OF VOICES
Else Torp, soprano
Signe Asmussen, mezzo
Chris Watson, tenor
Jakob Bloch, bass
Paul Hillier, artistic director
LONDON SINFONIETTA
SOUND INTERMEDIA