Date / Place I
02 December 2022 Gare du Nord, BaselDate / Place II
03 December 2022 Gare du Nord, BaselSeries
PhoenixTitle
Hersch & Ah Young HongProgram
Guillaume de Machaut (approx. 1300–1377) “Puis qu’en oubli” for soprano and string quartet (arr.: Michael Hersch, 2020) – ca. 3’ Jason Eckardt (*1971) “After Serra” for flute, clarinet, violin, cello and piano (2000) – 15’ Anna Thorvaldsdottir (*1977) “Aequilibria” for ensemble (2014) – 14’ Jean Galiot (14th c.) “Le Sault Perilleux” ballad for mezzo soprano, speaker (voice-fry) and ensemble (arr.: Erik Oña, 2004) – 8’ Jacob de Senleches (14th c.) “Je me merveil” for ensemble (arr.: Erik Oña, 2004) – 3’30” “La Harpe de Mellodie” for mezzo soprano and ensemble (arr.: Erik Oña, 2004) – 3’ Michael Hersch (*1971) “one step to the next, worlds ending” songs on texts by Jan Zwicky (2022, WP, commission EPhB) – 20’Musicians
- Ah Young Hong
- soprano
- Lucas Rößner
- speaker
- Jürg Henneberger
- conductor
- Christoph Bösch
- flute, alto flute, bass flute
- Antje Thierbach
- oboe
- Toshiko Sakakibara
- clarinet, bass clarinet
- Lucas Rößner
- bassoon
- Alexandre Labonde
- horn
- Michael Büttler
- trombone
- Daniel Stalder
- percussion
- Manuel Bärtsch
- piano, organ positive
- Friedemann Treiber
- violin
- Daniel Hauptmann
- violin
- Petra Ackermann
- viola
- Martin Jaggi
- cello
- Aleksander Gabryś
- double bass
Program description
The evening begins in the Middle Ages and then takes a big jump to the present day.
We are extremely happy to present Michael Hersch with his new composition for soprano and ensemble: “one step to the next, worlds ending”. We’ve collaborated 2021 in the music theater production “Poppaea”, and are pleased to continue with this new special program focus last season’s great experience. Our soprano soloist Ah Young Hong – splendid in the title role in “Poppaea” – will take on the solo part.
The concert program is framed by newly arranged works from the 14th century: by Guillaume de Machaut as well as by Jacob de Senleches and Jean Galiot. These belong to the style epoch of the “Ars subtilior”, which developed further from Machaut’s musical ideas. We perform them in an arrangement by Erik Oña. The Argentine composer, who died in 2019 had taught at the Electronic Studio of the FHNW in Basel since 2001.
The program is complemented by the compositions “After Serra” and “Aequilibria”.
American composer Jason Eckardt refers to the monumental sculptures of visual artist Richard Serra. One of Serra’s sculptures – “Intersection” – stands on the place in front of the “Theater Basel” since 1992.
Islandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir captivates in her music with soft, spherical sounds.
The concert closes as it began with the motet “Puis qu’en oubli” by Guillaume de Machaut in the arrangement by Michael Hersch.