Ei, ei, Überraschung: Johann Sebastianis Matthäuspassion in London

By Jens Klier, 03 April 2021

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“das Wort von Gottes Sohn strahle vom Himmel bis zum Erdreich”

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 2 April 2021

Sebastiani, St Matthew Passion

Fretwork

Elisabeth Paul, Contralto

Samuel Boden, Tenor

Hugo Hymas, Tenor

Benedict Hymas, Tenor

Jimmy Holliday, Bass

Bojan Čičić, Violin

Elin White, Violin

Silas Wollston, Organ

Take Five: Fretwork in Sheffield

Phil Parker, 3rd February

Fretwork bring the expected and the startlingly unexpected to Sheffield in a revealing evening of music for viol consort.

****1

Tenderness and passion from Stile Antico and Fretwork

Nick Boston, 15th August

Ancient and modern Shakespeare settings, and music from Shakespeare's contemporaries given tender and passionate readings in a varied programme from Fretwork and Stile Antico.

*****

Drake's voyage explored by Orlando Gough

Imogen Phoebe Webb, 14th June

An exceptional performance of Orlando Gough's The World Encompassed by six-strong viol ensemble, Fretwork.

****1

Proms Chamber Music 8: Dowland's seductive melancholy with Ian Bostridge and Fretwork

Frances Wilson, 2nd September

Amidst the furore of celebrations for the anniversaries of Verdi and Wagner, the final Chamber Prom of this season gave pause to savour the music of the great English Renaissance lutenist, singer and composer John Dowland, whose 450th birthday also falls this year.

****1

Bach stays wrapped up: The Art of Fugue with Fretwork

Paul Kilbey, 20th February

Bach’s final work The Art of Fugue, left incomplete at his death in 1750, has long been famous for (among other things) not having specified its instrumentation. It’s written in open score – each line of music, or “voice”, is given a distinct printed line, making it hard to guess what instrument Bach actually had in mind to play it.

***11

New wine in old bottles: Fretwork at the Royal College of Music

Emily Owen, 13th November

Keeping up their tradition of mixing contemporary repertoire and new commissions with early music, Fretwork presented an eclectic mix of Purcell Fantasias and a variety of modern works written or arranged for viol consort and soprano in tonight’s concert, part of the RCM’s annual viol festival.

**111

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Jens Klier

Vor seinem Rechtswissenschafts-Studium in Bayreuth und Bonn widmete sich Jens Klier seit frühester Kindheit musikalisch der Violine (Repertoire vom 17. bis 20. Jahrhundert). Während er zudem mit Gesang und dem Leben im Orchesterbetrieb groß wurde, entwickelte sich ein besonderes Interesse an der sogenannten 'Historischen Aufführungspraxis' und authentischen Instrumenten. Diese Leidenschaft hält sich hartnäckig, sodass er sie mit Vorliebe für das Barocke anstatt mit Finger und Bogen nun in Form der Musikkritik zu Gehör bringt. U.a. Telemann-Fan, Liebhaber J. S. Bachs Genies und Entdecker neuerer, seltenerer 'Alter Musik'.

Ei, ei, Überraschung: Johann Sebastianis Matthäuspassion in der Wigmore Hall