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Cambridge and Paris for a programme of Italian vocal music, and in March we return to the music of JS Bach with performances of both Passions. This Easter, we will be recording the St John Passion, and I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to be part of a group helping to fund the remaining £5,000 needed for the project to go ahead. We’re looking for lovers of Bach to donate from just £10 each — a gift that will be matched by Arts Council England. You can find out more on page 9 or by talking to one of my colleagues in the foyer tonight. Richard Egarr Music Director Welcome! It is a great pleasure to have you with us as we begin the new year with the music of JS Bach. As well as concerts throughout the UK and in the Netherlands, our performance from Shrewsbury will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 on Wednesday 6 March; do tune in. In Cambridge and London, the Orchestral Suites conclude days showcasing Bach’s music. I’m delighted to launch my new recording of the English Suites with lunchtime recitals, and we will be joined by Professor Christoph Wolff and BBC Radio 3’s Sara Mohr-Pietsch for discussions exploring the life and works of this remarkable composer. Turn to page 3 for more details, and if you miss either of the talks you can listen again on the AAM website from 6 February — just visit aam.co.uk/Explore and click on ‘Podcasts’. There’s plenty of thrilling music making on the horizon in 2013; turn to the inside back cover of this programme for more details. In February mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink joins us in London, ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC, 2012–2013 SEASON 1 Richard Egarr director & harpsichord 31 January West Road, Cambridge 2 February Kings Place, London 3 February The Apex, Bury St Edmunds 8 February Turner Sims, Southampton 9 February The Courtyard, Hereford 22 February Assembly Rooms, Bath JS Bach’s Orchestral Suites 1 March De Oosterpoort, Groningen 2 March Concertzaal, Tilburg 5 March Christ Church, Cockermouth 6 March St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury 7 March The Hexagon, Reading

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Page 1: JS Bach’s Orchestral Suites - Academy of Ancient · PDF fileJS Bach’s Orchestral Suites. 1 March De Oosterpoort, Groningen ... melody of the ‘Air on the G string’ that put

Cambridge and Paris for a programme of Italian vocal music, and in March we return to the music of JS Bach with performances of both Passions.

This Easter, we will be recording the St John Passion, and I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you to be part of a group helping to fund the remaining £5,000 needed for the project to go ahead. We’re looking for lovers of Bach to donate from just £10 each — a gift that will be matched by Arts Council England. You can find out more on page 9 or by talking to one of my colleagues in the foyer tonight.

Richard EgarrMusic Director

Welcome! It is a great pleasure to have you with us as we begin the new year with the music of JS Bach. As well as concerts throughout the UK and in the Netherlands, our performance from Shrewsbury will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 on Wednesday 6 March; do tune in.

In Cambridge and London, the Orchestral Suites conclude days showcasing Bach’s music. I’m delighted to launch my new recording of the English Suites with lunchtime recitals, and we will be joined by Professor Christoph Wolff and BBC Radio 3’s Sara Mohr-Pietsch for discussions exploring the life and works of this remarkable composer. Turn to page 3 for more details, and if you miss either of the talks you can listen again on the AAM website from 6 February — just visit aam.co.uk/Explore and click on ‘Podcasts’.

There’s plenty of thrilling music making on the horizon in 2013; turn to the inside back cover of this programme for more details. In February mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink joins us in London,

A C A D E M Y O F A N C I E N T M U S I C , 2 0 1 2 – 2 01 3 S E A S O N 1

Richard Egarr director & harpsichord

31 January West Road, Cambridge2 February Kings Place, London3 February The Apex, Bury St Edmunds8 February Turner Sims, Southampton9 February The Courtyard, Hereford22 February Assembly Rooms, Bath

JS Bach’s Orchestral Suites

1 March De Oosterpoort, Groningen2 March Concertzaal, Tilburg5 March Christ Church, Cockermouth6 March St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury7 March The Hexagon, Reading

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JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)Orchestral Suite No.4 in D major BWV1069 (c.1725) Ouverture Bourrée I–II Gavotte Minuet I–II Réjouissance

Orchestral Suite No.2 in B minor BWV1067 (c.1738–39) Ouverture Rondeau Sarabande Bourrée I–II Polonaise (Lentement) – Double Minuet Badinerie

Orchestral Suite No.1 in C major BWV1066 (c.1725) Ouverture Courante Gavotte I–II Forlana Minuet I–II Bourrée I–II Passepied I–II

Orchestral Suite No.3 in D major BWV1068 (1731) Ouverture Air Gavotte I–II Bourrée Gigue

Programme

Interval of 20 minutesPlease check that your phone is switched off, especially if you used it during the interval

Would patrons please ensure that mobile phones are switched off. Please stifle coughing as much as possible and ensure that watch alarms and any other devices that may become audible are switched off.

Tonight’s performance will last approximately 2 hours

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750)English Suite No.3 in G minor BWV808 (c.1717) Prélude Allemande Courante Sarabande; Les agréments de la même sarabande Gavotte I alternativement Gavotte II ou la Musette Gigue

English Suite No.4 in F major BWV809 (c.1717) Prélude Allemande Courante Sarabande Minuet I Minuet II Gigue

English Suite No.6 in D minor BWV811 (c.1717) Prélude Allemande Courante Sarabande; Double Gavotte I Gavotte II Gigue

Christoph Wolff (Adams Professor of Music at Harvard, Director of the Leipzig Bach Archiv and Pulitzer-Prize nominated author) gives a 90-minute talk about a life researching Bach. Professor Wolff is renowned as the leading Bach scholar of his generation, and we are delighted that he will join us for a very rare UK appearance.

BBC Radio 3’s Sara Mohr-Pietsch hosts an expanded pre-concert talk, in discussion with Pavlo Beznosiuk (violin), Rachel Brown (flute), David Blackadder (trumpet) and Benedict Hoffnung (timpani).

1pm — JS Bach’s English Suites with Richard Egarr

Additional events in Cambridge and London

2.30pm — Professor Christoph Wolff — ‘Discovering Bach’

6pm — Sara Mohr-Pietsch — ‘Playing Bach’

Both talks will be available for download from the AAM website from 6 February.Visit aam.co.uk/Explore.

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of Saxe-Weißenfels in 1729, followed in 1736 by the appointment as Electoral-Royal court composer in Dresden.

Moreover, a recently analysed inventory of the old St Thomas School library indicates that at least some of the Orchestral Suites and the Brandenburg Concertos were used for student performances. This happens to be corroborated by some extant early copies of scores and performing parts that point to their use even during the decade after Bach’s death. There is new general evidence that instrumental music played a much larger role in the life of the St Thomas School students than heretofore assumed. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries the school produced a significant number of professional musicians so that it earned the reputation of a true conservatory of music.

The use at the School does not mean, however, that any of Bach’s instrumental ensemble works were composed for this purpose, it only suggests their broader function. The principal sources of the Orchestral Suites indicate that the first and forth originated from around 1725 whereas the third Suite can be dated to 1731. No.2, with its hybrid mixture of concerto elements and suite form and the extraordinary virtuosity of its flute writing, dates from 1738–39 and hence counts as Bach’s very last orchestral work.

In terms of format, the Orchestral Suites differ significantly from the keyboard suites in that they do not adhere to any kind of pattern in their organization of movements. However, they all have in common an ouverture that serves as an opening movement — a tradition going back to the ballet suites in 17th-century French opera. Apart from this, no suite resembles any other and taken together they offer the broadest possible spectrum of traditional dance types and modern gallantry movements: Courante, Gavotte, Forlane, Minuet, Bourrée,

Passepied, Rondeau, Polonaise, Badinerie, Air, Gigue, and Réjouissance — presenting a much more innovative mixture than can be found in the keyboard suites. In quite a few movements Bach also takes an adventurous approach. Characteristic examples in this respect are on the one hand in No.3 the tantalizing and lilting melody of the ‘Air on the G string’ that put Bach right next to the very best tunesmiths in the business, and on the other the daring venture of strict canonic treatment of the outer voices in the Sarabande of the B minor Suite.

Another differentiating element consists in the orchestral scoring of the works. Nos. 3 and 4 resemble each other the most because both of them make use of three trumpets and timpani, two and three oboes, respectively, and a standard string ensemble. Suites nos.1 and 2, however, feature two completely different orchestral sounds: oboes, bassoons, and strings versus solo flute and strings. Above all, the four Orchestral Suites serve as a vivid reminder of the general importance of Bach’s art of dance composition that Forkel so rightly emphasized in his 1802 biography. This art transcends the genre proper as it indeed affects all facets of instrumental and vocal music, notably the arias and their expanded expressive range. By composing dances Bach significantly refined his musical language, not so much in the basic realm of vocabulary, syntax, and grammar but notably in the area of articulation and expression. Nowhere else but in his suites of dances do we encounter a more systematic, sophisticated, and far ranging exploration of the subtleties of musical articulation and along with it the fine tuning of musical expression.

Christoph Wolff © 2013

For a long time, most of Johann Sebastian Bach’s chamber and ensemble music was assigned to the years 1717 to 1723, when he served as Kapellmeister at the princely court of Cöthen. However, more recent studies based on original sources and style criticism have led to a thorough revision of the traditional chronology affecting this part of his output, including the four Orchestral Suites BWV1066–1069. It now seems that only the smaller part of the instrumental ensemble music (or at least the part which survives) belongs to the Cöthen period, while the greater part was composed at Leipzig — principally for the Collegium Musicum, a concert society consisting of active professional and amateur musicians as well as passive members.

Throughout the 17th century, students primarily from the University of Leipzig had formed private societies that played an increasingly important role in public musical life — they were often led by the city’s most prominent professionals, such as Adam Krieger, Johann Rosenmüller, Sebastian Knüpfer, and Johann Kuhnau. In 1701, the young and energetic law student and first organist of the recently rebuilt New Church, Georg Philipp Telemann, founded a new Collegium that he led for four years and that attracted the most capable musicians from within and outside the city. Bach was associated with this organization throughout his Leipzig years, and he served as its music director from 1729 until the early 1740s.

There is no question that the Collegium directorship amounted to a major commitment. Bach was now responsible, in addition to his regular church music obligations, for preparing and carrying out a weekly series of performances throughout the year. The schedule of these ‘ordinaire Concerten’ was made even more demanding by the additional commitments of the thrice-yearly trade fairs, when the Collegium performed twice weekly. Programmes were printed only for very special

occasions such as the reception of members of the Electoral Saxon and Royal Polish Court in Dresden. However, vocal and instrumental pieces by a great variety of composers must have been included in the weekly concert series; it is impossible to reconstruct, even in the broadest outlines, any of the more than 500 two-hour programmes for which Bach was responsible.

Pertinent performing materials from the 1730s are extremely sparse. Nevertheless, among the traceable compositions are four overtures by Bach’s cousin, Johann Bernhard Bach of Eisenach, the cantata Armida abbandonata by Handel, four Italian solo cantatas by Porpora and Scarlatti, and a Concerto Grosso in F minor by Locatelli. Additionally, “Mr. Bach de Leipzig” is found among the subscribers to Telemann’s Nouveaux Quatuors, published in Paris in 1738, which suggests that he wanted these pieces for his Collegium series. Although these few works and composers cannot be considered representative at all, they confirm that the repertoire was both instrumental and vocal, and that the most modern kind of music — such as the Porpora cantatas and the Telemann flute quartets — played a role. This is definitely also the primary context for most of Bach’s extant instrumental chamber music. The concertos for one, two, three, and four harpsichords and strings, for example, were among his major contributions to a new kind of instrumental music.

The four Orchestral Suites belong here, too. Their sources definitely point to Leipzig, even though it remains unclear whether they were specifically written for the Collegium Musicum or perhaps for Bach’s activities outside of Leipzig. One needs to keep in mind that the Thomaskantor maintained the position of titular court Kapellmeister after leaving Cöthen until the death of Prince Leopold in 1728, and that he immediately accepted another titular Kapellmeister appointment at the ducal court

Christoph Wolff introduces the Orchestral Suites

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firmly adheres to the traditional movement sequence Allemande–Courante–Sarabande as it emerged in mid-17th century France, with a concluding Gigue as it emerged as the norm established in late-17th century German practice. However, this four-movement pattern gives room for a great deal of variety, notably by way of inserting dances of different types between Sarabande and Gigue. In the case of the English Suites, the inserted movements consist of a Bourée in Nos.1 and 2, a Gavotte in Nos.3 and 6, a Minuet in No.4, and a Passepied in No.5. But apart from the choice of dances and keys, there are numerous other elements that give each suite its individual profile, and the three suites of the present programme present a case in point.

The Suite No.3 in G minor opens with a brilliant extended Prélude in the form of a concerto movement, with alternating elaborate ritornellos and episodes in seven sections. It exceeds by 20 measures the first movement of

Bach’s Italian Concerto from Clavier-Übung II (1735). The accented triple meter of the Prélude contrasts sharply with the tranquil common time of the Allemande and its compact form of 24 (12+12) bars. The fast Courante in 3/2-time consists of 32 (16+16) bars. Both movements, like all the other Allemandes and Courantes in the English Suites, are basically constructed as two-part contrapuntal lines, one each for the right and left hand, with an intermittent third or fourth voice thrown in. The subsequent Sarabande, on the other hand, and again like the other Sarabandes of the set, show a full-textured and almost consistently five-part setting. Its principal point, however, consists in its refined treatment of the characteristic Sarabande step-pattern, with emphasis on the second beat in 3/4-time. This point is enhanced further by a sophisticated written-out ornamented version of the whole movement. The following duple-meter Gavotte features a G major middle section in Musette-style. The concluding virtuoso Gigue in composite 12/8-time unfolds in strict imitative polyphony. Its fugato theme appears in inversion after the double bar that divides the movement into two not-quite-equal parts.

The Suite No.4 in F major begins with a radiant Prélude that mixes two-part imitative counterpoint with various concerto elements in a highly original fashion. The result is a rather unique multi-sectional movement featuring a variety of musical textures. The following dance pair seems to pick up on this idea of textural variety, but introduces new elements such as triplet figuration in the symmetric Allemande (12+12) and dotted rhythms in the asymmetric Courante (8+12). The Sarabande hammers out its characteristic syncopation pulse in majestic chordal style. In stark contrast to this, the inserted Minuet simplifies and regularises the triple meter pattern. Its tripartite form includes a D minor centre piece. The final Gigue presents in adroit manner a fanfare-like triadic fugato theme and preserves the illusion of strict

Johann Sebastian Bach is usually — and rightly so — credited with advancing the art of counterpoint and lifting the art of writing fugues to unprecedented heights. Rarely, however, are his dance pieces mentioned as significant contributions to compositional technique and musical aesthetics. Yet, Johann Nicolaus Forkel’s path-breaking biography of 1802 specifically addresses the significance of Bach’s suites. He points out that in these works “the rhythm was the most important object” and states:

“Bach carried this branch of the art also much farther than any of his predecessors or contemporaries. He tried and made use of every kind of meter to diversify, as much as possible, the character of his pieces. He eventually acquired such a facility in this particular that he was able to give even to his fugues, with all the interweaving of their single parts, striking and characteristic rhythmic proportions in a manner as easy and uninterrupted from the beginning to the end as if they were minuets.”

Indeed, considering the unfolding of the repertoire of Bach’s keyboard music from the earliest to the last works, fugue and dance composition, contrapuntal and rhythmic concerns, always complement one another, even merge — notably in the case of the Goldberg Variations.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable to see the English and French Suites in close connection with Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier. The latter stands for the definition and expansion of modern tonality, the juxtaposition of strict and free styles, and in particular the varied and sophisticated contrapuntal treatment of melodic themes. The two sets of suites from around the same general period demonstrate on the other hand Bach’s remarkable and innovative control of rhythmic textures in a great variety of established dance types and, at the same time, by featuring attractive melodies

supported and enhanced by rich rhythmic textures. In dance movements, meter and rhythm function as ‘thematic’ material.

Bach composed the English Suites (BWV806–811) during the later years of his Weimar period, 1708–17. Preceded in all likelihood by a number of works in the same genre, of which only a few youthful works like the Suite in A major BWV832 have survived, they represent the first set of large-scale and mature harpsichord works in Bach’s output before the Well-Tempered Clavier. However, they received their final shape only in Leipzig around 1725 when Bach reviewed the pieces along with their shorter counterparts, the French Suites, first entered in the Little Clavier Book for Anna Magdalena Bach of 1722. Both sets then led up to the ambitious project of the six Clavier-Übung I, published piecemeal from 1726 and as a collection in 1731 as the composer’s crowning achievement in the composition of suites of dances. The historic nicknames of the two sets of ‘English’ and ‘French’ Suites are of obscure origin. Nevertheless, they already occur in early manuscripts from the Bach circle, with title pages like “Six grandes Suites dites anglaises pour le Clavecin” or “Sechs Clavier Suiten... genannt die französischen”. Moreover, Forkel’s statement that “the composer made them for an Englishman of rank” may be corroborated by the reference “Fait pour les Anglois” in a manuscript copy from around 1740, later in the possession of Johann Christian Bach. Still, no particulars are known; and in terms of stylistic implications, there is nothing specifically French or English about them. On the other hand, it is clear that Bach deliberately intended to differentiate between two types of suites. The English Suites of larger format are “suites avec prélude” whereas the more compact French lack an é.

In all three major sets of keyboard suites — the English, the French, and the Partitas — Bach

Christoph Wolff introduces the English Suites

JS Bach (1685–1750)

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St John Passion — Crowdfunding campaign

We are excited to announce that later this year we will be making our first-ever recording of the St John Passion. More importantly, we want you to be involved.

Directed by Richard Egarr and featuring guest artists James Gilchrist, Andrew Kennedy, Elizabeth Watts, Christopher Purves and Sarah Connolly as soloists, this project is the continuation of a multi-year project exploring the sacred and secular work of JS Bach.

Having already secured £45,000 of the £50,000 required, we are now aiming to raise the remaining £5,000 through crowdfunding — and that’s where you come in.

Crowdfunding is a movement that has been pioneered in the US to fund projects through community donations. Based on this model, we

are inviting Bach lovers to donate from £10 to the recording and in doing so become part of the project.

Thanks to the generosity of Arts Council England, all gifts will be matched, meaning that — with Gift Aid — a donation of £10 will be worth £22.50.

Different levels of giving come with various benefits. These range from a mention on our website (for donations of £10-£20) to a signed copy of the CD and acknowledgement in the CD jacket as a recognised supporter of the recording project (donations of £100 and above).

This is a one-off opportunity for fans of Bach and of the AAM to contribute to a truly stellar recording. We very much hope that you will want to share our Passion.

For more information go to aam.co.uk/Passion

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A triumphant year for the AAM

The Guardian named our performance at the BBC Proms as one of the top 10 classical concerts of 2012. Mahan Esfahani directed his new arrangement of JS Bach’s The Art of Fugue, reviving the informal spirit and spontaneity of Bach’s Leipzig coffee-house concerts in which the composer would direct his own band of musicians. The rest of the list — chosen by The Observer music critic Fiona Maddocks — comprised music from William Cornysh to György Ligeti, and showed the strength and breadth of classical music in the UK. It is a great privilege to be forming part of such a vibrant cultural tapestry.

On the classical music website Presto, we were recognised for our world-première recording of works by long-neglected English composer Christopher Gibbons, which was named as one of the best of the year.

Hailed as “a real discovery and an exceptionally rewarding recording” (International Record Review, September 2012) and featuring “startling

modulations and expressively charged vocal lines” (The Guardian, July 2012), we are delighted to have helped to bring this selection of motets, anthems, fantasias and voluntaries out of what Richard Egarr describes as “unjust obscurity”.

Thanks to all who supported the AAM in person and on disc last year, and here’s to an even better 2013.

At aam.co.uk...➤ Listen to excerpts from the Gibbons CD➤ Read reviews of our performance at the BBC Proms ➤ Browse our 2013 concert diary

News at the AAM

“This Academy of Ancient Music selection...is a personal crusade by Richard Egarr and shows what we’ve been missing: harmonic twists and word-painting almost as daring as Gesualdo’s; lilting refrains that suggest Monteverdi; quicksilver mood changes...the string music is deftly and expressively played.” T H E T I M E S , R E V I E W O F G I B B O N S , J U LY 2012

polyphonic treatment by inverting the triadic theme at the beginning of the movement’s second half.

The Suite No.6 in D minor starts differently from the other five with an extended Prelude in two parts. Its first suggests an improvisatory approach of a reflective mood in relaxed 9/8-time, whereas the fast second part moves energetically forward, with alternating sections of imitative thematic entries, sequential patterns, figurative passage work, and chordal interjections. The following movement pair juxtaposes the deliberate treatment in the Allemande of a rhythmic six-note motif — prominently occurring first in the left hand, then at the beginning of the second half in the right hand — and a Courante with a virtually uninterrupted melody line in the upper

voice, supported by a continuo-like bass. The Sarabande is presented in two versions, first in plain chordal style that also underscores the movement’s chromatic harmonies, second in the form of an ornamented Double where the vertical chords are dissolved and spread out in arpeggiando fashion. The subsequent insert, a duple-meter Gavotte in tri-partite form (minor-major-minor), features a short and often repeated melodic phrase in trio texture (two parts over a motoric bass line), a pattern that continues in modified duo texture throughout the major-mode section. The concluding Gigue in 12/16-time, also the last movement of the entire set, is an effective technical tour de force for the player in as much as it represents a particular compositional masterpiece. It combines polyphonic strategies with fanciful harmonic twists in a steady and rapid flow of no less than twelve sixteenth per bar.

Christoph Wolff © 2013Christoph Wolff is Adams University Research

Professor at the Department of MusicHarvard University and Director of the

Bach-Archiv in Leipzig

Who paid for your seat tonight?When you bought your tickets for tonight’s concert, you only paid for a third of your seat.

How is that? Who paid for the other two thirds?

Even if this performance is sold out, ticket income will fall far short of the full cost of getting the AAM on stage to perform. About two thirds of the cost is covered by generous donations from the orchestra’s supporters — indeed this year the AAM must raise £700,000 to support its work.

Turn to page 16 to find out how you can help us meet this target and pay for the rest of your seat.

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Join the Friends of the AAM todayMembership from just £2.50 per month

Glimpse orchestral life behind the scenesBenefit from priority booking

Meet the musiciansSupport the music you love

HOW TO JOINPick up a leaflet in the foyer tonight

Visit aam.co.uk/support

Annual Friends’ drinks reception31 January 2013, after the concert at West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

Mingle with other Friends and AAM musicians following the performance of

JS Bach’s Orchestral Suites

Gold Friends annual open rehearsal13 June 2013, 4.30–5.30pm

West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

A chance for Gold Friends to glimpse the orchestra in action behind the scenes, rehearsing Italian cantatas by Handel

Zimmermann’s coffee house, Leipzig, meeting place of JS Bach’s Collegium Musicum from 1729.Engraving by Georg Schreiber (1676–1750)

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There’s also a difference in the way we approach our music making. Composers prized the creativity of musicians, expecting them to make the music come alive and to communicate its thrill to the audience — an ethos we place at the heart of all that we do. Very often we don’t have a conductor, but are directed by one of the musicians, making for spontaneous, sparky and engaged performances. It’s not just about researching the past; it’s about being creative in the present.

In everything we do, we aim to recapture the intimacy, passion and vitality of music when it was first composed. The result? Performances which are full of energy and vibrancy, the superb artistry and musical imagination of our players combined with a deep understanding of the music’s original context.

Academy of Ancient Music: our ethos

The history of the AAM is the history of a revolution. When Christopher Hogwood founded the orchestra almost forty years ago, he rejected the decades-old convention of playing old music in a modern style. Hogwood and the AAM were inspired by original performances and, along with musicians across Europe, were beginning to discover the sound worlds which Bach, Handel and Haydn would have known. These bold initial steps would lead to a radical transformation in musical performance, allowing baroque and classical masterworks to be heard anew from that day to this.

So what’s different about the AAM? Partly it’s the instruments, which are originals (or faithful copies of them). The stringed instruments have strings made of animal gut, not steel; the trumpets have no valves; the violins and violas don’t have chin-rests, and the cellists grip their instruments between their legs rather than resting them on the floor. The result is a sound which is bright, immediate and striking. Additionally, the size of the orchestra is often smaller, meaning that every instrument shines through and the original balance of sound is restored; and where possible we play from first edition scores, stripping away the later additions and annotations of editors and getting back to composers’ initial notes, markings and ideas.

Academy of Ancient Music: our past, present and future

The AAM was founded in 1973 by Christopher Hogwood, under whose leadership the orchestra developed the global reputation for inspirational music making which continues today. In its first three decades the AAM performed live to music lovers on every continent except Antarctica, and millions more heard the orchestra through its astonishing catalogue of over 300 CDs: Brit- and Grammy-Award-winning recordings of Handel operas, pioneering accounts of the Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn symphonies, and revelatory discs which championed neglected composers.

This artistic excellence was fostered by a stunning roster of guest artists: singers Dame Emma Kirkby, Dame Joan Sutherland and Cecilia Bartoli and pianist Robert Levin were among those performing regularly with the AAM. A range of collaborations continue to inspire the group with new ideas and fresh approaches. The current relationship with the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge recently produced the world’s first live classical cinecast, with Handel’s Messiah streamed live into hundreds of cinemas across the globe; and ongoing work with the likes of soprano Elizabeth Watts, tenor James Gilchrist, and violinist Alina Ibragimova lie at the heart of the AAM’s present-day artistic success.

In 2006 Richard Egarr succeeded Hogwood as Music Director, and keeps the trailblazing spirit alive. Already Egarr has directed the first-ever performances in China of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and JS Bach’s complete Brandenburg Concertos. Recent recordings, including a complete cycle of Handel’s instrumental music Opp.1-7 and the world-première recording of music by long-neglected composer Christopher Gibbons, have won MIDEM, Edison and Gramophone Awards. In 2007 Egarr founded the Choir of the AAM, which a year later was awarded the title of ‘Choir of the Year’ at the Beijing Classical Elites.

The future is just as bright. Performances in 2012–13 feature music from Biber to Beethoven, with outstanding artists including Andreas Scholl and Lucy Crowe making their AAM debuts. AAM founder Christopher Hogwood returns to conduct Handel’s late opera Imeneo, and touring plans include concerts throughout Europe and the Far East.

The AAM is Associate Ensemble at London’s Barbican Centre and Orchestra-in-Residence at the University of Cambridge.

At aam.co.uk...➤ Watch Robert Levin improvising Mozart➤ Listen to AAM recordings on the AAMplayer

NEW IMAGE HERE

“a band that, for nearly 40 years, has consistently established a benchmark of veracity and authority in getting composers’ music played as it was intended to be played: free of accretions, stripped of varnish, and as straight and true as an arrow”G L A S G O W H E R A L D, 2010

IN NOVEMBER 2012, COUNTER-TENOR ANDREAS SCHOLL MADE HIS AAM DEBUT SINGING BACH IN KING’S COLLEGE CHAPEL, CAMBRIDGE. HE RETURNS FOR A ONE-OFF CONCERT AT THE BARBICAN IN JANUARY 2014. VIS IT AAM.CO.UK/CONCERTS FOR DETAILS.

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Board of DirectorsRichard BridgesKay Brock LVO DLJohn EverettMatthew FerreyJames GolobJohn GrievesHeather JarmanChristopher Purvis CBE (Chairman)John ReeveTerence SinclairDr Christopher TadgellJanet Unwin

Development CouncilRichard BridgesKay Brock LVO DLDelia BrokeElizabeth de FriendKate DonaghyJohn EverettMatthew FerreyJames GolobJohn GrievesAnnie NortonChristopher Purvis CBEJohn ReeveChris Rocker Terence Sinclair (Chairman)Dr Christopher TadgellMadeleine TattersallSarah Miles WilliamsAlison Wisbeach

Music Director Richard Egarr

Emeritus DirectorChristopher Hogwood CBE

Chief ExecutiveMichael Garvey

Head of Projects & Administration

Samantha Martin

Head of Concerts & ArtisticPlanning

Andrew Moore

Concerts & Administration Assistant

Ceri Humphries

Head of CommunicationsToby Chadd

Communications AssistantTom McNeill

PR ConsultantRebecca Driver

Head of Finance Elaine Hendrie

Head of Fundraising Simon Fairclough

Fundraising Manager Oriel Williams

Fundraising OfficerBrittany Wellner-James

Violin IPavlo Beznosiuk*

Violin IIBojan Čičić

Viola Jane Rogers

Cello Andrew Skidmore*

Double bass Judith Evans

FluteRachel Brown*

OboeFrank de Bruine Lars HenrikssonGail Hennessy

Bassoon Ursula Leveaux

TrumpetDavid BlackadderPhillip BainbridgeTimothy Hayward

TimpaniBenedict Hoffnung

Harpsichord Richard Egarr

Richard Egarr director & harpsichordI was Organ Scholar at Clare College, Cambridge, and happened to find a harpsichord in the ante-chapel. I hooked up with Mark Levy from Trinity who played the Viola da Gamba, and came along with a facsimile edition of music by Marin Marais — my first experience with the Gamba, a facsimile, the harpsichord and playing continuo for real. The following year a certain Andrew Manze came to Clare to read Classics. I organised a concert in Clare Chapel, including Brandenburg Concerto No.4 in the programme, and put Andrew’s name on the poster. He grudgingly borrowed a baroque bow from the Music Faculty and played. The rest is history; that love and fascination has never left me.

*Sponsored chairs

Leader Lord and Lady Magan

Principal cello Dr Christopher and Lady Juliet Tadgell

Principal fluteChristopher and Phillida Purvis

Sub- principal violaSir Nicholas and Lady Goodison

Sub- principal celloNewby Trust Ltd

Academy of Ancient Music

Richard Egarr director & harpsichord

Richard Egarr brings a joyful sense of adventure and a keen, enquiring mind to all his music– making. As well as being an accomplished conductor, Richard is a brilliant harpsichordist and equally skilled on the organ, fortepiano and modern pianos. His many roles include directing from the keyboard, playing concertos and giving solo recitals, and he relishes the chance to talk about music at every opportunity.

Richard trained as a choirboy at York Minster, atChetham’s School of Music in Manchester andas organ scholar at Clare College, Cambridge.His studies with early music pioneers Gustavand Marie Leonhardt further inspired his work inthe field of historical performance.

Richard was appointed Music Director ofthe AAM in 2006, since when he has led theorchestra on tours to four continents and ina number of acclaimed recordings. Richard isalso involved with a number of other periodensembles: he appears in America with theHandel and Haydn Society and PortlandBaroque, and with Philharmonia Baroque in San Francisco. He has performed as a soloist with The English Concert and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

In 2007 Richard established the Choir of theAAM, and operas and oratorios lie at the heartof his repertoire. He regularly appears at theConcertgebouw in Amsterdam with, amongothers, the Netherlands Opera Company; andin 2007 he made his Glyndebourne debut in astaged performance of JS Bach’s St MatthewPassion. Richard is also renowned as aninspiration for young musicians: alongsidehis teaching position at the AmsterdamConservatoire, he has regular relationships withthe Britten–Pears Foundation in Aldeburgh andwith the Netherlands Opera Academy.

Richard is increasingly sought after by non–period orchestras. He appears regularly with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and was appointed Associate Artist with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in December 2011.

“offering the audience moments of intense beauty” S E E N A N D H E A R D I N T E R N AT I O N A L , N O V 2011

Richard has performed as a soloist throughoutEurope, Japan and the USA, and his solorecording output comprises works byFrescobaldi, Orlando Gibbons, Couperin, Purcell,Froberger, Mozart and JS Bach. For many yearshe formed an “unequalled duo for violin andkeyboard” (Gramophone) with violinist AndrewManze, which resulted in acclaimed concertsand award-winning recordings of music fromStylus Phantasticus to Mozart and Schubert.

Richard has directed the AAM in recordings byJS Bach, including the Brandenburg Concertos; in a complete cycle of Handel’s Opp.1-7instrumental music which has won MIDEM,Edison and Gramophone Awards; and, most recently, in music by forgotten composer Christopher Gibbons.

Richard lives in Amsterdam with his wife anddaughter.

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Join the AAM Society I would like to join the AAM Society

I would like to give membership of the AAM Society to someone else as a gift

Your detailsName: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Address: ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Telephone: ............................................................................................................................. Email: ......................................................................................................................................

Gift membership — member’s detailsPlease complete this section only if you are giving Society membership to someone else as a gift.

Member’s name: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Member’s address: .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Member’s telephone: ...................................................................................................... Member’s email: ................................................................................................................................

Membership level The Chairman’s Circle £20,000+ Principal Benefactor £1,000–£2,499

The Hogwood Circle £10,000–£19,999 Benefactor £500–£999

Principal Patron £5,000–£9,999 Donor £250–£499

Patron £2,500–£4,999 Young Supporter (under 40 only) £100–£249

Acknowledgement Please acknowledge my gift using the following wording ......................................................................................................................................................................................

I would prefer to remain anonymous

Payment details I enclose a cheque for £.......................... (please make payable to ‘AAM’) I would like to pay by standing order (see below)

I enclose a CAF cheque for £.......................... (please make payable to ‘AAM’) I would like to make a gift of shares (please contact the AAM)

Gift Aid declarationPlease complete this section if you pay UK income tax and/or capital gains tax at least equal to the tax which the AAM will reclaim on your donations in the appropriate tax year.

Please treat this donation and all donations that I make from the date of this declaration until I notify you otherwise as Gift Aid donations.

Signed .................................................................................................................................................................................... Date ...........................................................................................................

Standing order mandatePlease complete this section only if you would like to make your donation by standing order.

Name of bank ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Please pay Academy of Ancient Music, Lloyds TSB. Gonville Place Branch, Cambridge, sort code 30-13-55, account number 02768172,

the sum of £.......................... per month / quarter / year, starting on...........................................................................................................................................................................

Signed .................................................................................................................................................................................... Date ...........................................................................................................

Please return this form to:Oriel Williams, Academy of Ancient Music, 11b King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SJ

The AAM Society

On 17 September 1973, 23 musicians gathered in Richmond to record Arne’s Eight Overtures under the young director Christopher Hogwood.

Nobody travelling to the church that morning could have begun to imagine that the Academy of Ancient Music (as Hogwood had christened the group) would be in flourishing health 40 years later.

Funded by Decca the AAM began to build a pioneering discography. Over the next 25 years it released more recordings than any other period instrument orchestra in the world, and gave thousands of performances at the finest concert halls on every continent.

By the late 1990s, when Hogwood began to plan for the appointment of his successor, the world was changing. The record industry was in decline, and financial pressures facing international concert halls meant that the generous performing fees of old were no longer available. Putting down roots at home in the UK had become a pressing priority.

In 2000, founder-members of the AAM Society contributed £10,000 to fund the orchestra’s first London season. It was AAM Society members too who financed the establishment of the orchestra’s residency at Cambridge, and who provided the support needed to appoint Richard Egarr as Hogwood’s successor. Over the last decade, the generosity of an ever-expanding group of supporters has transformed the AAM from a private enterprise directed by Hogwood into a major charitable institution

which continues his work beyond his active involvement.

The strength of support offered by Society members and other funders has enabled the AAM to develop an ambitious vision for the next stage of its development. It recently established the AAMplify new generation programme to nurture the audiences, performers and arts managers of the future; in January 2012 it was appointed as Associate Ensemble at the Barbican Centre; and it is now working to establish its own record label.

The orchestra’s supporters have risen magnificently to the challenge of funding the initial costs of these developments, and the greatest priority now is to make the step-change permanent. You can help us to do so by joining their number.

Because the AAM is a charity it can claim Gift Aid on donations, boosting their value by 25%. Even better, the orchestra has received a generous challenge grant which means that every pound donated by a new Society member will be matched.

We would be thrilled to welcome you as a member — and your support would enable us to enrich more lives than ever before with our music.

To find out more please contact Oriel Williams, our Fundraising Manager, on 01223 341093 or [email protected].

We love the AAM’s excellent performances, academic depth and innovative programming, and as AAM Society members we share the musical life of this superb ensemble project by project. The AAM is as welcoming and friendly as it is enlightening, and as professional behind the scenes as it is on stage! RICHARD AND ELENA BRIDGES AAM SOCIETY MEMBERS

Why we support the AAM

“ ”

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Box officeReduced booking fee onlinew

ww

.barbican.org.uk

Associate Ensemble

Baltic NightscamBridge West road coNcert hallMonday 25 February 7.30pmBox Office: 01223 357 851

loNdoN BarBicaN hallWednesday 27 February 7.30pmBox Office: 020 7638 8891www.barbican.org.uk

Violinist Alina Ibragimova and Britten Sinfonia perform evocativemusic from the Baltic alongside Bach’s 1st Violin Concerto.

www.brittensinfonia.com

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Recommended RecordingEnjoyed this evening’s performance? Take home a copy of the AAM’s recording of another of JS Bach’s great instrumental works, the Brandenburg Concertos.

Pick up your copy in the foyer for only £15 or go to aam.co.uk/recordings

“warm, chamber-style intensity” The Guardian

JS Bach St John Passion Good Friday, 29 March 2013, 3pm, Barbican Hall

Tickets £8–£35 barbican.org.uk/AAM

0845 120 7500

James Gilchrist EvangelistMatthew Rose ChristElizabeth Watts sopranoSarah Connolly mezzoAndrew Kennedy tenorChristopher Purves bassChoir of the AAMRichard Egarr director & harpsichord

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The AAM is indebted to the following trusts, companies, public bodies and individuals for their support of the orchestra’s work:

Thank you

The AAM Society

AAM Business ClubCambridge University PressKleinwort BensonRoyal Bank of Canada

Public fundersArts Council EnglandOrchestras LiveCambridge City Council

Trusts and foundationsThe Backstage TrustCHK Charities LtdDunard FundJohn Ellerman FoundationEsmée Fairbairn FoundationFidelity UK FoundationGatsby Charitable FoundationJ Paul Getty Jnr Charitable TrustNewby Trust LtdSir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary SettlementConstance Travis Charitable TrustGarfield Weston Foundationand other anonymous trusts and foundations

Special giftsThe Academy of Ancient Music extends its grateful thanks to Richard and Elena Bridges, Matthew Ferrey and Lady Sainsbury of Turville, who have supported the orchestra’s work at a particularly significant level this year.

The Chairman’s Circle(Donations £20,000–£49,999 per annum)Matthew FerreyCHK Charities Ltd

The Hogwood Circle(Donations £10,000 - £19,999 per annum)Lord and Lady MaganChristopher and Phillida Purvis *Mrs Julia RosierDr Christopher and Lady Juliet TadgellLady Linda Wong Davies (KT Wong Foundation)

Principal Patrons (Donations £5,000 – £9,999 per annum)Richard and Elena BridgesChristopher Hogwood CBE *Mrs Sheila MitchellNewby Trust Ltd *Chris and Ali RockerTerence and Sian Sinclairand other anonymous Principal Patrons

Patrons (Donations £2,500 – £4,999 per annum)Lady Alexander of WeedonAdam and Sara BroadbentRichard and Elizabeth de FriendMr and Mrs JE EverettMr and Mrs James GolobSir Nicholas and Lady Goodison *John and Ann GrievesGraham and Amanda HuttonDavid and Linda LakhdhirMark and Liza LovedayNigel and Hilary Pye *John and Joyce ReeveMark Westand other anonymous Patrons

Principal Benefactors (Donations £1,000 – £2,499 per annum)John and Gilly BakerGeorge and Kay BrockMrs D BrokeMr and Mrs Graham Brown

Clive and Helena ButlerJo and Keren ButlerSir Charles Chadwyck- Healey BtPeter Stormonth DarlingKate DonaghyThe Hon Simon EcclesThe Hon William GibsonElma Hawkins and Charles RichterLord HindlipJohn McFadden and Lisa Kabnick * Steven Larcombe and Sonya LeydeckerMr and Mrs C NortonLionel and Lynn PerseyMr and Mrs Charles Rawlinson Mark and Elizabeth RidleySimon RobeySir Konrad and Lady Schiemann *JG StanfordMr Michael StumpJohn and Madeleine TattersallMarcellus and Katharine Taylor- JonesStephen ThomasSarah WilliamsMrs R Wilson StephensCharles Woodwardand other anonymous Principal Benefactors

Benefactors (Donations £500 – £999)Dr Aileen Adams CBEBill and Sue BlythClaire Brisby and John Brisby QC *Mr and Mrs Edward Davies- GilbertCharles DumasMr and Mrs Jean- Marie EveillardSimon FaircloughMarshall FieldMichael and Michele Foot CBEAndrew and Wendy GairdnerHon William GibsonThe Hon Mr and Mrs Philip HaversProfessor Sean HiltonDr and Mrs G and W HoffmanHeather Jarman *Susan LathamTessa MayhewMr and Mrs Hideto NakaharaNick and Margaret ParkerBruno Schroder and familyVictoria SharpPeter ThomsonJanet UnwinPippa Wicks

Oriel WilliamsPeter and Margaret WynnJulia Yorkeand other anonymous Benefactors

Donors (Donations £250 – £499)Angela and Roderick Ashby- JohnsonElisabeth and Bob Boas *Mrs Nicky BrownJeremy J BuntingMr Alexander ChaddDr and Mrs S ChallahDavid and Elizabeth ChallenCottisford TrustStephen and Debbie Dance Derek and Mary DraperBeatrice and Charles GoldieSteven and Madelaine GundersGemma and Lewis Morris HallMrs Helen HiggsLord and Lady Jenkin of RodingAlison KnockerRichard LockwoodYvonne de la PraudièreJane Rabagliati and Raymond CrossRobin and Jane RawMartin RandallArthur L Rebell and Susan B CohenDenys RobinsonMr and Mrs Timothy RobinsonMichael and Giustina RyanMiss E M SchlossmannMichael SmithRt Hon Sir Murray Stuart- Smith *Robin VousdenPaul F. Wilkinson and Associates Inc.Tony and Jackie Yates-Watsonand other anonymous Donors* denotes founder member