Following their sold out performances of Our Mother last year, FIGURE, led by Frederick Waxman, returns to Stone Nest for another intimate musical experience. Watch an up-close performance of baroque masterpieces by Corelli, Handel, and van Wassenaer, contrasted with contemporary compositions by Caroline Shaw, Edmund Finnis, and a specially commissioned world premiere by rising star Joanna Ward.

Programme

Arcangelo Corelli

Concerto Grosso in C major arr. Geminiani after Violin Sonata Op. 5 no. 3

Edmund Finnis

The Centre is Everywhere

George Frideric Handel

Concerto Grosso in B flat major Op. 6 no. 7

Caroline Shaw

Punctum

Antonio Vivaldi

Concerto for Strings in D minor RV 129 “Madrigalesco"

Freya Waley-Cohen

Talisman

Joanna Ward

World Premiere [Title TBA]*

Unico Wilhelm van Wassenaer

Concerto Armonico no. 4 in G major

Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes inc. interval

Swinging London meets Italian flair, 18th century style. AAM presents Georgian England in the company of Arne, Boyce, Geminiani and Bach. But not the Bach you’re expecting…

The music scene in 18th century Britain was a place where everything was up for grabs. A nation was remaking its identity – embracing global fashions and diverse cultures, and locked in passionate debate about its relationship with Europe. English composers wrote Italian operas, the spirit of Shakespeare met the inspiration of Corelli and Vivaldi, and Bach’s youngest son carved out a musical niche that was entirely his own.

It's a gloriously colourful world – both familiar and delightfully surprising – and for this performance, AAM dives headlong into a true musical melting pot. Linley and Boyce give classic literature a magical makeover, Geminiani brings London a taste of the hottest Italian fashions, and there’s a whole mini-opera from JC Bach – the so-called ‘English Bach’, who lived in London and is buried at St Pancras. Mozart was a fan, and you’re about to hear why.

A free pre-concert talk will take place in the auditorium at 6.30pm.

Swinging London meets Italian flair, 18th century style. AAM presents Georgian England in the company of Arne, Boyce, Geminiani and Bach. But not the Bach you’re expecting…

The music scene in 18th century Britain was a place where everything was up for grabs. A nation was remaking its identity – embracing global fashions and diverse cultures, and locked in passionate debate about its relationship with Europe. English composers wrote Italian operas, the spirit of Shakespeare met the inspiration of Corelli and Vivaldi, and Bach’s youngest son carved out a musical niche that was entirely his own.

It's a gloriously colourful world – both familiar and delightfully surprising – and for this performance, AAM dives headlong into a true musical melting pot. Linley and Boyce give classic literature a magical makeover, Geminiani brings London a taste of the hottest Italian fashions, and there’s a whole mini-opera from JC Bach – the so-called ‘English Bach’, who lived in London and is buried at St Pancras. Mozart was a fan, and you’re about to hear why.

A free pre-concert talk will take place in the auditorium at 6.30pm.

The performance at West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge, is supported by Mark West.

Programme

Arne

Overture in G major No. 3

Mudge

Concerto No. 1 in D major

Geminiani

Concerto Grosso in C major Op. 7 No. 3

Linley

Music for The Tempest

Boyce

Overture from Peleus and Thetis

Linley

Violin Concerto in F major

JC Bach

La Tempesta

Celebrated Handelian Laurence Cummings brings his unmistakable flair and zest to a programme that roams through the composer’s best-loved operas and oratorios, including Serse, Ariodante, Rinaldo, Semele, setting their finest arias and duets alongside some of the composer’s characterful works for orchestra.

Bringing glittering coloratura brilliance and lyrical ease to Handel’s melodies, soprano Soraya Mafi joins Cummings for what promises to be a joyous evening of music-making.

Davina performs some of her favourite melodies at a private event in Kensington.

https://coventgardenchorus.com/concert-tickets/

AAM joins the Choir of Westminster Abbey for one of classical music's best-known works in this extraordinary location.

A performance of Messiah in Westminster Abbey is always a special occasion thanks to the composer’s unique association with the Abbey. A London resident for over 40 years, Handel wrote some of his most celebrated music for performance here and is buried in Poets’ Corner, where he is immortalised in an imposing life-size statue by Louis-François Roubiliac. Beside the figure of the composer is a musical score showing a fragment of the Messiah aria ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth’.

The Choir of Westminster Abbey is renowned worldwide as one of the finest ensembles of its type, its repertoire extending from plainsong and Renaissance polyphony to twentieth-century masterpieces and new commissions. In addition to singing the daily services, as it has done since the fourteenth century, the Choir plays a central role in the many royal and state occasions which are held in the Abbey, most recently the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Davina joins the ‘In Tune’ team at BBC Radio 3 to discuss her new album, ‘The Art of Obligato’ and to perform extracts live in the studio.

Davina releases her second solo album, ‘The Art of Obligato’.

This will be available to stream and download globally on Spotify, Apple Musisc, Tidal and Deezer.

Thursday 14 November 2024, 7.30pm
St Martin in the Fields, London
Book now: https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/calendar/la-nuova-musica-haydns-the-creation/

Haydn - The Creation

Sung in English

Featuring:
Elinor Rolfe Johnson, Soprano
Andrew Staples, Tenor
James Platt, Bass

In the beginning, there was the Word – but for Joseph Haydn, there was music too: some of the freshest ever written. ‘When I think of God, I can write only cheerful music’, he said, and his oratorio The Creation is powered by a sense of joy that embraces both earthworms and angels. But Haydn’s vision of a universe emerging from chaos also inspired music of cosmic grandeur, and with a group as spirited as La Nuova Musica, a conductor as expert as David Bates, and a truly stellar line up of soloists, this is a concert to light up a November night.

Davina joins the residents of Auriens to perform an evening of live baroque and classical music.

Tuesday 29 October 2024, 7:30pm
Wigmore Hall, London
Book now: https://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/202410291930

Handel - Rinaldo HWV7 Overture
Handel - Aci, Galatea e Polifemo HWV72

Featuring:
Lucy Crowe, Soprano (as Aci)
Fleur Barron, Mezzo-soprano (as Galatea)
Luigi De Donato, Bass (as Poifemo)

David Bates and La Nuova Musica and an all star cast tackle Handel’s Italian cantata, first performed in Naples in 1708. Aci, Galatea and Polifemo has a similar plot to his better-known English serenata Acis and Galatea of 1718, but an almost entirely different score full of wonderful music. Aci lacks an overture, so that to Handel’s first London opera Rinaldo (1711) is co-opted for this occasion.

Davina joins Hannah French on BBC Radio 3, ‘The Early Music Show’ to chat about her new album, ‘The Art of Obligato’.

Davina joins The English Concert to perform at a private event in Central London

Harry Bicket director/harpsichord
Davina Clarke violin 1
Elizabeth MacCarthy violin 2
Alfonso Leal del Ojo viola
Samuel Ng cello
Emy Gazeilles soprano

George Frideric Handel

Overture to Giulio Cesare HWV 17

‘Non disperar’ from Giulio Cesare HWV 17 

‘Tutti puo’ from Giulio Cesare HWV 17 

Passacaille from Sonata Op. 5 No. 4 

‘Venere bella’ from Giulio Cesare HWV 17 

‘Se pieta’ from Giulio Cesare HWV 17 

Overture to Rodrigo HWV ex. 5 

‘Piangero’ from Giulio Cesare HWV 17

‘Da tempeste’ from Giulio Cesare HWV 17 

Davina performs at a Private Event at The Savile Club

Join Davina and members of The English Concert for a performance in Handel’s House of his works. An intimate, salon recital.