Concerto in dialogo
J.S. Bach conceived several of his cantatas as spiritual dialogues with Christ and entitled them Concerto in Dialogue. In them, the Soul, in the voice of the soprano, enters into a concerting dialogue with Jesus, personified by the bass. In this way, Bach resumed a 17th century tradition and, using his own musical language, elevated it to the culmination of the genre.
This monographic program dedicated to Bach includes some of his cantatas for soprano and bass, as well as some instrumental works that complete the repertoire.
Soprano, baritone, oboe, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, harpsichord, organ, alto and tenor
On the human and the divine in the court of Bárbara de Braganza
Bárbara de Braganza (1711-1758) was one of the queens of Spain who showed a greater fondness for the arts in general and music in particular.
During her reign, several musicians of Italian origin and international prestige such as Farinelli, Francesco Corselli and Domenico Scarlatti coexisted in the Spanish court.
This program brings together vocal works by Corselli and Scarlatti. Those of the first, conceived for the liturgical offices in the Royal Chapel, have a sacred theme. Those of the second, on the contrary, are dedicated to the eternal theme of betrayed love.
Soprano, 2 violins, cello, archilute/guitar and harpsichord
Roma 1709: Scarlatti vs Haendel
In 1709 Cardinal Ottoboni, great patron of the arts, taking advantage of the presence of the two great musicians in the Italian capital, organized a duel that would face Scarlatti and Haendel musically.
Through this concert program, Musica Boscareccia proposes to recall that historic duel by gathering the chamber music repertoire of the two composers, both cantatas and instrumental works.
To this aim, and given that Scarlatti did not bequeath us any trio sonata, we have allowed ourselves to arrange some of his sonatas for harpsichord, emulating in some way the work of Charles Avison in his Concerti Grossi, which is a clear demonstration of the enormous prestige of Scarlatti in his time.
Soprano, 2 violins, cello, archilute and harpsichord
Dolcissimo sospiro
Italian music of the 17th century is considered the reference music for the entire European continent of the time. Portuguese, French, Spanish, Flemish and German musicians travel to the most important musical centers in Italy to learn the Italian stile of the madrigal and the aria a voce sola.
It is the century of Recitar Cantando (Recite Singing), a musical revolution brought by the Camerata Bardi and by Giulio Caccini, who gathers in his “Nuove Musiche” the supremacy of the declamation of the word and lays the foundations for the birth of the Opera.
This program takes a tour through some of the most representative composers such as Caccini, Merula, Nauwach, Melli, Monteverdi, Strozzi and Mazzocchi.
Soprano, theorbo and viola da gamba
Where light and shadow intertwine
The sacred music of the three authors gathered in this program was influenced to a greater or lesser degree by the religious current of Pietism, which emerged in Germany in the late 17th century. Pietism was a reaction against the dominant intellectualism and formalism in the Lutheran church and promulgated a more emotional and intimate religiosity. This program takes us in a tour through the religious music of the three main German composers of the first half of the 18th century: Telemann, Haendel and J.S. Bach.
Soprano, violin, cello, harpsichord and organ
Hausmusik: an evening with Beethoven
This program explores one of Beethoven’s less common facets in the concert halls, that of his vocal chamber music. While it is reasonable to give more importance to the instrumental music of Beethoven, it would be unfair to neglect his beautiful lieder production.
The program offers a selection of Beethoven’s lieder, including some of his arrangements of popular songs for voice, pianoforte, violin and cello. The repertoire is completed with one of his great trios.
Soprano, violin, cello and pianoforte
Fons Amoris
The professional circumstances of Boccherini determined that his main occupation was the composition of chamber music. However, his Stabat Mater is one of the great masterpieces of sacred music of the 18th century. In this concert we will listen to the first version, from 1781, written for soprano and string quintet.
The program is completed with two string quintets, which illustrate Boccherini’s mastery in this genre.
Soprano, 2 violins, viola and 2 cellos
The dawn of the string quartet
This program presents some of the first works for string quartet written by four composers that trace the essential development of this genre in its first years of life, between 1760 and 1800: Boccherini, Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven.
String quartet
Walks in the Royal Chapel
These Walks in the Royal Chapel bring us close to four of the main musicians who developed their work within the framework of this institution, which became the main musical focus of Spain from the early 16th century until the end of the 18th century.
Among the composers that we will listen to in this concert, we find two Masters of the Chapel (José de Torres and Francesco Corselli), a Vicemaster of the Chapel (José de Nebra) and a violinist member of the Royal Chapel (Gaetano Brunetti) who finally came to be in charge of the Royal Chamber as the main Responsible.
Soprano, 2 violins, cello, archilute/guitar, harpsichord and organ
Perspectives
The medieval poem of the Stabat Mater is one of the texts that has received more musical adaptations over the centuries. The three works presented by this program, closely related to the Stabat Mater, were composed in a span of some 300 years. The perspectives of these three authors before the Stabat Mater are born, therefore, in extraordinarily distant aesthetic points. However, through the same introspection and spirituality, they explore in common a universal emotion: the pain of the mother facing the death of her son.
Soprano, alto, tenor, 2 violins (viola), cello, archilute and organ
De Profundis
It is a surprising fact that during the 17th century there were more active musicians in the German-speaking countries than at any other period in history. This incomparable musical flowering was mainly due to Luther, the great reformer who loved music, recommended its study and reserved a privileged place for it in the liturgy.
“De Profundis” presents a selection of religious works by German authors before Bach: Schütz, Krieger, Bernhard, Schmelzer, Erlebach and Rosenmüller.
Soprano, 2 violins, violone and organ
Sanguineus et Melancholicus
This is how is entitled the C.P.E Bach’s trio sonata that closes this program and culminates the journey through the German trio sonata proposed in this repertoire. We will listen to six authors of the 17th and 18th centuries, whose works will show us the evolution of this genre in Germany.
2 violins, cello and harpsichord
Amores, culpas de la razón
With this verse included in the program, “culpas de la razón” (sins of reason), we open the doors to the next current of thought: the Enlightment. This programme, in addition to travelling through the evolution of the repertoire for soprano and guitar, represents a culturally connected Europe. The recurring theme of Love, the timbre and the expressive union between the voice and the guitar show the most intimate chamber music, transporting us to the evenings and halls of the time.
Soprano and guitar
Arianna a Naxos
It is the title of the cantata that Haydn composed in 1789, originally with keyboard accompaniment. This piece soon became one of Haydn’s favorite works by the public and was a hit in London at the 1791 concerts. Perhaps that is why Haydn, in a letter to editor John Blair, expressed his intention to produce a version for strings. This program offers the voice and string quartet version of this piece, as well as the Schumann and Schubert lieder arranged for the same formation.
Soprano and string quartet
Amores, culpas de la razón
Con este verso de la Cantata española de Händel, “culpas de la razón”, abrimos las puertas a la siguiente corriente de pensamiento: la Ilustración. Este programa, además de viajar a través de la evolución del repertorio para soprano y guitarra, representa a un Europa conectada culturalmente. El recurrente tema del Amor, el timbre y la expresiva unión entre la voz y la guitarra muestran la música de cámara más íntima, trasportándonos a las veladas y salones de la época.