account
basket
Challenge Records Int. logo
Sweelinck and the Art of Variation

Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam

Sweelinck and the Art of Variation

Format: CD
Label: Globe
UPC: 8711525525306
Catnr: GLO 5253
Release date: 10 September 2012
1 CD
 
Label
Globe
UPC
8711525525306
Catalogue number
GLO 5253
Release date
10 September 2012
Streaming
Streaming links

"A fascinating piece of Dutch history that no CD collection should be without."

Klassieke zaken, 01-5-2014
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
Press
NL

About the album

Sweelinck gold in zijn tijd als dé grootmeester van de variatiekunst. Wereldvermaard was hij om zijn orgelbespelingen in de functie van Amsterdamse stadsorganist. Maar ook in de privésfeer toonde hij zich een gepassioneerd improvisator. Veelzeggend zijn de herinneringen van vriend en dominee Willem Baudarius aan een muziekavondje bij Sweelinck thuis. ‘Hij begon klavecimbel te spelen en ging daarmee door tot omstreeks middernacht. Hij speelde onder andere het liedje De Lustelijke Mei, dat hij op wel vijfentwintig manieren varieerde, nu eens zus, dan weer zo.’ Helaas hebben deze variaties, zover wij weten, nooit de weg naar het papier gevonden. Wel componeerde Sweelinck vele andere variatiereeksen over wereldlijke liedjes, psalmen, Lutherse koralen en zelfs enkele Gregoriaanse melodieën. Stof genoeg voor blokfluitkwartet Brisk en Camerata Trajectina voor een opwindend doorkijkje in Sweelincks onvolprezen variatiekunst. Niet alleen komen de originele melodieën uitgebreid aan bod, tegelijk worden Sweelincks variatiereeksen in verrassende bezettingen uitgevoerd. En of dat nog niet genoeg is componeerden Klaas de Vries en Daan Manneke twee intrigerende op Sweelinck geïnspireerde werken ter gelegenheid van diens 450-ste geboortedag. Kortom, een prachtig eerbetoon aan Nederlands grootste componist: onze ‘Phoenix der Musijcke’. (JWvR)

Artist(s)

Camerata Trajectina

It is impossible to imagine Dutch musical life without Camerata Trajectina. The early music ensemble has made a name for itself by pleading for Dutch music from the 16th en 17th century, in particular songs, and aims to bring this music back to life, in a playful and scientifically justified way. Camerata Trajectina comprises a nucleus of musicians, to which musicians and ensembles can be added. The group’s programmes deal chiefly with social events, such as exhibitions and commemorations of events and individuals from Dutch history. The group took part in almost all editions of the Utrecht Early Music Festival, gave hundreds of concerts in the Nederlands and Flanders and toured to amongst others the United States, Canada, Ghana and Indonesia. It...
more
It is impossible to imagine Dutch musical life without Camerata Trajectina. The early music ensemble has made a name for itself by pleading for Dutch music from the 16th en 17th century, in particular songs, and aims to bring this music back to life, in a playful and scientifically justified way.
Camerata Trajectina comprises a nucleus of musicians, to which musicians and ensembles can be added. The group’s programmes deal chiefly with social events, such as exhibitions and commemorations of events and individuals from Dutch history.
The group took part in almost all editions of the Utrecht Early Music Festival, gave hundreds of concerts in the Nederlands and Flanders and toured to amongst others the United States, Canada, Ghana and Indonesia. It has also recorded more than 30 albums with Dutch music.

less

Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam

BRISK, the ensemble’s name, is intended to convey an idea of liveliness and wakefulness. A critic once described the ensemble as providing “a coup de grâce for the recorder’s respectable image”. BRISK’s concerts exhibit variation of style and mood, virtuosity and light-heartedness in equal measure. The quartet always appear on stage with an enormous assembly of recorders. Since their founding in 1986, BRISK has given many concerts in important concert halls and festivals throughout Europe, in Bolivia, Canada and the USA. BRISK has recorded for radio and television both in the Netherlands and abroad, as well as recording over ten CDs that have been well received by both press and public. Its daring programming of early music in combination with contemporary...
more

BRISK, the ensemble’s name, is intended to convey an idea of liveliness and wakefulness. A critic once described the ensemble as providing “a coup de grâce for the recorder’s respectable image”. BRISK’s concerts exhibit variation of style and mood, virtuosity and light-heartedness in equal measure. The quartet always appear on stage with an enormous assembly of recorders. Since their founding in 1986, BRISK has given many concerts in important concert halls and festivals throughout Europe, in Bolivia, Canada and the USA. BRISK has recorded for radio and television both in the Netherlands and abroad, as well as recording over ten CDs that have been well received by both press and public.

Its daring programming of early music in combination with contemporary music is designed to expand the borders of the ensemble’s repertoire. Many composers have dedicated works to the quartet. BRISK works regularly with fellow musicians as well as with artists from other related disciplines such as actors, directors, librettists and film-makers.

BRISK made its name through lively performances of early music, the search for little-known repertoire, and for the many arrangements that the ensemble has made, which suit the style and tradition of the instrument. BRISK has collaborated with Amaryllis Dieltiens, Michael Chance, Marcel Beekman, Johannette Zomer, Maarten Koningsberger, the Egidius Kwartet, the Gesualdo Consort, Bernard Winsemius, Leo van Doeselaar, Rainer Zipperling, Mike Fentross and Camerata Trajectina amongst others.

The long list of composers that have written music for the quartet includes Martijn Padding, Kate Moore, Calliope Tsoupaki, Bart Visman, Klaas de Vries, Roderik de Man and many others.

New works are presented as a comment on or as a contrast to older works in BRISK’s programmes. There is also a large quantity of new music in BRISK’s programmes for younger audiences. BRISK regularly gives concerts in collaboration with specialists in contemporary music such as pianist Tomoko Mukaiyama, composer and improviser Guus Janssen, vocalist Greetje Bijma and percussionist Ramon Lormans.

BRISK has created a number of highly successful productions for children with directors David Prins, Jetse Batelaan, Marc Krone, Gienke Deuten and actors Porgy Franssen, Bart Kiene and Hans Thissen.

The quartet possesses a great variety of instruments; its extensive contacts with recorder makers throughout the world ensure that its collection is in a state of continual development. This variety of instruments enables the ensemble to perform works from the Renaissance and the Baroque as well as the 20th and 21st centuries in their correct tuning and with the correct timbre.


less

Composer(s)

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck

If it were up to Calvinism, all the organs would have been destroyed during the Beeldenstorm, the outbreaks of destruction of religious images that occurred in Europe in the 16th century. Thanks to city governments, the organs were saved. Strictly speaking, Sweelinck was a servant for the city government as well as the city organist of Amsterdam. His organ and harpsichord music was also used during international negotiations, making his music arguably quite influential.  Sweelinck's music should not be listened to with the same ears as one listens to Bach, Beethoven or Brahms. His instrumental works have its own completely unique expression, including temporal modulations, instead of tonal ones. His toccatas, variations and fantasies often start modestly, and gradually increase in movement....
more
If it were up to Calvinism, all the organs would have been destroyed during the Beeldenstorm, the outbreaks of destruction of religious images that occurred in Europe in the 16th century. Thanks to city governments, the organs were saved. Strictly speaking, Sweelinck was a servant for the city government as well as the city organist of Amsterdam. His organ and harpsichord music was also used during international negotiations, making his music arguably quite influential. Sweelinck's music should not be listened to with the same ears as one listens to Bach, Beethoven or Brahms. His instrumental works have its own completely unique expression, including temporal modulations, instead of tonal ones. His toccatas, variations and fantasies often start modestly, and gradually increase in movement. Especially his fantasies are masterpieces in this regard. Take for instance his Chromatic Fantasy. The first part uses the chromaticism by alternating whole and half steps. In the second section, the theme is enlarged to a complete cantus firmus, while the embellishments increase in speed. In the third section, the chromatic theme is increased in speed as well, after which the whole work is finished with a graceful bow.
less

Press

A fascinating piece of Dutch history that no CD collection should be without.
Klassieke zaken, 01-5-2014

Play album Play album
01.
Est-ce Mars / Had ick duysend ysere tongen
03:47
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
02.
Engelsche fortuin / Lieffd' int secreet
05:18
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
03.
Silvia mijn Lief (melody: Malle Sijmen)
02:56
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
04.
Malle Sijmen (variation)
01:31
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
05.
La tombeau de Sweelink (2011) -Klaas de Vries, 1994
08:09
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
06.
Onder een linde groen (song)
02:52
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
07.
Onder een linde groen ( varations)
05:12
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
08.
Onse Vader in hemelrijck (song)
02:16
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
09.
Onse Vader in hemelrijck (variations)
04:31
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
10.
Susanne un jour
03:20
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
11.
Vanitas vanitatum
01:19
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
12.
Mein junges Leben
04:06
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
13.
Épitaphe-Double (2012) - Daan Manneke, 1939
04:53
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
14.
Ballo del granduca O che nuovo miracolo
06:21
(Jan Pieterzoon Sweelinck) Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam, Camerata Trajectina
show all tracks

You might also like..

Various composers
Revolutie! - De straat op voor een nieuwe natie
Camerata Trajectina
Various composers
Four in One - 35 Years of BRISK
Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam
Various composers
Songs Without Words – Jazz of the Golden Age
Camerata Trajectina
Various composers
Treur Nederland! Rampliederen door de eeuwen heen
Camerata Trajectina
Various composers
Always About Love
Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam
Various composers
Cançâo - Music From the Iberian Peninsula
Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam
Various composers
Een Nieuwe Liedt Wy Heven Aen
Camerata Trajectina
Johann Sebastian Bach, Guus Janssen, Toek Numan
BRISK plays Bach
Brisk Recorder Quartet Amsterdam
John Dowland
Dowland in Holland
Camerata Trajectina