British Christmas music
Music in the spirit of the Lessons and Carols tradition
Ord – Rossi – Vivaldi – Händel – A. Scarlatti – J.S. Bach – traditional British Christmas songs
Kajsa Dahlbäck, soprano
Vivace Choir of Kangasala Parish, cond. Sannamaria Salli (Kangasala and Lapinjärvi), Youth Choir Kannelkellot, cond. Sirkku Rintamäki (Porvoo and Helsinki)
Finnish Baroque Orchestra
First violin: Anthony Marini (cm), Irma Niskanen, Viola Räisänen
Second violin: Kaisa Ruotsalainen (prin.), Tiina Aho-Erola
Viola: Tuula Riisalo (prin.), Markus Sarantola
Cello: Lea Pekkala
Double bass: Petri Ainali
Harpsichord and organ: Anna-Maaria Oramo
Lute: Eero Palviainen
Traverso: Pauliina Fred
cm = concertmaster
prin. = principal
Anthony Marini, programme planning
THE CONCERT IS AVAILABLE ON YLE AREENA UNTIL JANUARY 12
PROGRAMME (IN FINNISH AND SWEDISH)
If you have ever stepped into the world of British Christmas carols, it’s hard to forget their charming atmosphere. During the Baroque, Christmas carols were sung from door to door or at home after Christmas dinner. Some of the carols are of an even earlier date, while some of the music or lyrics are from the period after the 19th century. However, all of them are stylistically connected to the ancient practice. With this concert, FiBO continues its Christmas tradition, in which the previous concerts have been programmes with Christmas music from Italy and Germany. This time, we travel to the British isles.
In Great Britain, Christmas music has for a long time been a mix of secular and profane, encapsulated in the form “Nine Lessons and Carols”. The format was established at the end of the 19th century. The order proceeds from the fall of humanity and the prophecies to the birth of Jesus in the manger, and it is a good way to introduce the links between Baroque music and Christmas traditions.
Wexford Carol apparently has its roots in the 16th century and is also sung in Irish Gaelic, while The First Nowell is of old Cornish origin. The tradition has always contained influences from the Continent, for example the originally German carol Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming (Es ist ein Ros entsprungen). The English loved Italian Baroque, and the concert programme contains music by Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741), a Christmas cantata by Alessandro Scarlatti (1660–1725) as well a sinfonia by the oratorio composer Camilla de Rossi (1670–1710). The selection of Carols are completed by arias from Händel’s The Messiah.
Duration: 1 h 45 min (incl. intermission)
FiBO's artistic planner Anthony Marini introduces the concert at the House of Nobility on 13 December from 6 pm to 6.30 pm.