Wonderfeel Helsinki (CANCELLED)
A festival in the Lapinlahti Park
Rebel–Porpora–Vivaldi
Sergey Malov, violin and violoncello da spalla
Hanna Haapamäki, sopranino recorder
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
Nature is strongly present in this performance, which is reflected in the program. Jean-Féry Rebel's (1666–1747) orchestral work Les Élémens (The Elements) is an important piece for FiBO, because it was performed both at the orchestra's first concert in 1989, as well as at the 30th anniversary concert in 2019. This concert begins with the first part of the orchestral tableau, which conjures an initial chaos through ferocious tones. After that, Rebel's symphony Les Caractères de la danse (The Characters of the Dance) presents the spirits of different dances, such as the minuet and the chaconne.
Antonio Vivaldi's contemporary Nicola Porpora (1686–1768) was a famous opera composer and song pedagogue, but he also composed instrumental music. The soloist in Porpora's cello concerto in G major is now Sergey Malov, playing the rare violoncello da spalla, or the "shoulder cello". During the Baroque, the spectrum of string instruments was wider than today, and the composers usually gave many instrument suggestions for playing a piece, or gave no suggestions at all. It was only in the 18th century that it became customary to compose for a specific instrument.
From Antonio Vivaldi's (1678–1741) enormous production, we have chosen the Concerto in C major for sopranino recorder, strings and continuo (RV 443) from 1729. And would it not be odd not to play Summer from Vivaldi's Seasons in an outdoors summer festival! Nowadays, The Seasons are one of the most commonplace classical works of all time, but it was something completely new and special at the time it was created. In addition to Vivaldi's exceptionally inventive handling of the violin, listeners were astounded by how they concertos told a clear story, although no one sang or spoke. Each season's score was accompanied by a poem depicting the events in the music.
The summer in short:
Allegro non molto: In the suffocating heat you can hear the sounds of cuckoos, doves and finches, but the shepherd is afraid of the great storm.
Adagio e piano – Presto e forte: Mosquitos annoy the shepherd, as he waits for the thunder in fear.
Presto: A fierce thunderstorm ravages the fields.
Duration: 45 min
***
130 performers, 43 hours of music, 5 stages! Wonderfeel Helsinki is a new kind of classical music event, combining wonderful music with a relaxed festival atmosphere, a versatile range of food and drink options and an interesting supplementary programme. The three days will be filled with chamber music classics as well as the most interesting contemporary music, surprising encounters and the natural peace of the lush Lapinlahti park area. Wonderfeel has been organised in natural surroundings near Amsterdam since 2015, where it has gained great popularity. Wonderfeel Helsinki, organised as part of Helsinki Festival, brings this unique concept outside of the Netherlands for the first time.