Berliini–Potsdam
Music from the court of Frederick the Great
Kirnberger – C.P.E. Bach – Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia – J.S. Bach – Frederick the Great
FiBO Players:
Anna Gebert, violin
Aira Maria Lehtipuu, violin
Laura Kajander, viola
Louna Hosia, cello
Pauliina Fred, traverso
Petteri Pitko, harpsichord
There are changes in the ensemble due to some of the musicians getting sick.
The Prussian ruler Frederick the Great (1712-1786) was known as a victorious warrior king, but he was also a skilled flautist and composer. His output includes both symphonies as well as flute sonatas and concertos. His love of the arts began at an early age, although Frederick's father did not encourage his son's hobbies. On the contrary, he tried to discourage his son. Frederick's sister Wilhelmine also became a talented harpsichord player and composer despite the lack of support at home. While not all of her output has been preserved, we still have her opera and vocal music, as well as a harpsichord concerto which Finnish audiences will hear for the first time in this concert.
After ascending to the throne of Prussia, Frederick filled his court with the most famous musicians, composers, philosophers and scientists of his time. During his reign, the cultural life of Berlin, the capital of Prussia, and the nearby court of Potsdam burst forth in unprecedented glory. The lineup of well-known musicians included Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, whose music embodies this era's typically sensitive use of affects, known as Empfindsamkeit. Johann Sebastian Bach, the Kantor of the Leipzig Cathedral, visited his son in Potsdam in 1747. This trip gave birth to his collection “Das Musikalische Opfer" (The Musical Offering). The work, dedicated to Frederick the Great, showcases Bach's mastery of both old-fashioned counterpoint as well as the latest compositional styles of the time.
Duration: 1 h 30 min (incl. intermission)
Petteri Pitko introduces the concert at the House of Nobility on 11 March from 6–6.30 pm.