Chamber concerts with ensembles from the Liceu Orchestra
At the Hivernacle in the Ciutadella Park
The Gran Teatre del Liceu is programming the first concerts to be held at the Hivernacle in Ciutadella Park following its reopening last December. This recently restored emblematic space in Barcelona will become the stage for four chamber concerts on March 22 and 23, featuring members of the Liceu Orchestra and Choir.
This initiative, supported by the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona, aims to bring classical music closer to the public and make it more accessible through a unique experience in a historic and charming setting, fostering proximity with the audience and offering tickets at affordable prices.
With the support of:
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Trio Cenit | Discovering Dohányi
Saturday, March 22 - 12pm
Ernst von Dohnányi (or Ernő Dohnányi) is the composer of the Serenade Op. 10, which we propose as the final piece of this program. Within the string trio repertoire, it is one of the most praised works both by the audience and for the enjoyment of the performers.
The composition is of late Romantic style, despite the context of its time, when the avant-garde was discovering new soundscapes.
Dohnányi himself was an orchestra conductor and a renowned pianist. He was applauded for his performances of Beethoven’s piano concertos and recordings of the German composer’s sonatas.
This relationship between composers has led us to weave the narrative of our concert, where Beethoven is included with one of his early works, Op. 3, which draws from Classicism and highlights the fact that the composer already mastered the writing for this formation, generating a great variety of textures. From this work, we will perform four movements.
Concert duration with talks: 1 hour 5 minutes.
Program
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
String Trio No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 3 by
I. Allegro con brio, in E-flat major
II. Adagio, in A-flat major
III. Menuetto. Moderato, in E-flat major – Trio in C minor
IV. Finale. Allegro, in E-flat major
Pause
Erno von Dohnányi (1877 – 1960)
Serenata per a cordes, Op.10
I. Marcia: Allegro
II. Romanza: Adagio non troppo
III. Scherzo: Vivace
IV. Tema amb variacions: Andante con moto
V. Rondo (Final): Allegro vivace
Counterpoint and Devotion: Dialogue between Bach and Pergolesi
Saturday, March 22 - 6pm
Bach in Motion Ensemble
Mercedes Darder - soprano
Cristina Tena - alto
Oleguer Beltran - violin I
Sergi Puente - violin II
Salomé Osca - viola
Òscar Alabau - cello
David-Huy Nguyen-Phung - basso continuo
Die Kunst der Fuge (“The Art of Fugue”), composed in the last years of Bach's life (1740-1750), is a cycle of fourteen fugues and four canons in which the composer demonstrates his masterful knowledge of counterpoint, using all techniques. Through a simple theme in D minor, he constructs the set of fugues and canons for different numbers of voices, without specifying instrumentation or a specific order. This makes it one of his most theoretical and abstract works.
In contrast, Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden (“Blot out, Most High, my sins”). Psalm 51 (1748) is a composition that follows the structure of motet-parody. It is, therefore, an adaptation of Pergolesi's famous Stabat Mater, which he composed in 1736, just weeks before his death. The success of this sacred work was such that it became the most edited and printed work of that 18th century. Hence, many composers – including Bach – created their own adaptations. With the intention of having it sung at one of the religious services at the Thomaskirche in Leipzig, Bach replaced the entire original Latin text with the German text of Psalm 51. He made corresponding changes to the voices to fit the new syllables to the sung melody, creating rich melismas and new counterpoints to emphasize the message of spirituality and redemption in the psalm.
These two works chosen for the concert illustrate Bach's musical mastery through his fugues and his own interpretation of Pergolesi's work, inviting us to immerse ourselves in two fundamental aspects of his style: the technical complexity of counterpoint and the profound spiritual reflection on human suffering.
Program
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Die Kunst der Fugue (bwv 1080)
Contrapunctus 1. Fugue in four voices on the original theme.
Contrapunctus 3. Fugue in four voices on the theme in inversion.
Contrapunctus 6. Counterpoint in French style on variations of the theme and its inversion presented in different metric extensions.
Johann Sebastian Bach/ Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710 – 1736)
Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden (bwv 1083) Motet-paròdia del Stabat Mater de Giovanni Battista Pergolesi
1. Largo. Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden
2. Andante. Ist mein Herz in Missetaten
3. Larghettto. Missetaten, die mich drücken
4. Andante. Dich erzürnt mein Tun und Lassen
5. Largo. Wer wird seine Schuld verneinen
6. Sieh! ich bin in Sünd empfangen
7. Sieh, du willst die Wahrheit haben
8. Wasche mich doch rein
9. Allabreve. Laß mich Freud und Wonne spüren
10. Andante. Schaue nicht auf meine Sünden
11. Adagio spirituoso. Öffne Lippen, Mund und Seele
12. Largo. Denn du willst kein Opfer haben
13. Allegro (Vivace). Laß dein Zion blühend dauren
14. Allabreve. Amen
"Invitation to the Journey"
Sunday, March 23 - 12am
Elizabeth Gillming - Mezzo-soprano
Miguel Rosales - Baritone
Bernardo Verde - Bassoon
David-Huy Nguyen-Phung - Piano
The program of this concert presents an eclectic selection of works with an unusual formation of great sonic richness, combining the versatility of the bassoon and voice in chamber music. Featuring works by various composers, the event offers a sonic journey that explores deep emotions through the expressive nuances of both Romantic and contemporary music. From the melancholy of L'invitation au voyage ("Invitation to the Journey") to the lightness of Deux Pièces ("Two Pieces") by Jean Françaix, and the humor of Der todte Fagot ("The Dead Bassoon"), each piece invites reflection and musical appreciation. This concert not only celebrates the beauty of chamber music but also highlights the richness of collaboration between instruments and voice.
Approximate duration 1h
Program
Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894)
L'invitation au voyage Mezzosoprano, fagot and piano
Noël Gallon (1891-1966)
Recit. et Allegro Fagot and piano
Conradin Kreutzer (1780-1849)
Der Todte Fagott Baritone, fagot and piano
Franz Lachner (1803-1890)
Neuer Frühling Mezzosoprano, fagot and piano
Ihr Traum Baritone, fagot and piano
Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894)
Paysage Piano
Philippe Schoeller (1957)
Omaggio Kurtág
Jean Baptiste Faure (1830-1914)
Myosotis Mezzosoprano, fagot and piano
Jean Françaix (1912-1997)
Deux pièces fagot and piano
Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
Bienheureux le cœur sincère Mezzosoprano, baritone and piano
Repentir Mezzosoprano, baritone, fagot and piano
Transfigured Night
Sunday, March 23 - 6pm
Classicism will be the focus of the first part of the concert we propose, featuring a work by master W. A. Mozart, his Divertimento for string trio, from which several movements will be performed. This piece has been described as special on the path of art, due to its invention and good humor. A work where each instrument is primus inter pares (first voice) and every note is significant: a sonic, spiritual, and sensitive contribution from the great master of Salzburg.
The final piece, and the core of the program, is Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) by Arnold Schönberg. This work for string sextet is considered the first major piece by the composer and is inspired by the poem of the same title by writer Richard Dehmel, as well as by the moment the composer met his future wife, Mathilde von Zemlinsky. Transfigured Night is a work full of romanticism, from which a love without conditions emerges, a pure love that transcends human flaws and transforms their lives.
Program
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
Divertimento in E-flat major for string trio, KV 563
I. Allegro
II. Minuet
III. Andante. Theme with variations
IV. Minuet
V. Allegro
Sergey Maiboroda - Violin
Salomé Osca - Viola
Paula Lavarías - Cello
Pause
Arnold Schönberg (1874 – 1951)
Transfigured Night
Sergey Maiboroda - Violin
Raúl Suarez - Violin
Josep Bracero - Viola
Salomé Osca - Viola
Paula Lavarías - Cello
Javier Serrano - Double bass