On Saturday, February 1st at 8 p.m., the concert "Kruimels" took place in the atmospheric Sint-Rochuskapel of Mariadal in Hoegaarden, organized by Klassiek in de Kapel. The performance went beyond mere music and offered a captivating story, told by Mona Thijs, which gained added atmosphere through the moving soundscapes of Orlan Ghekiere. This story was inspired by the pilgrimage that Johann Sebastian Bach undertook in the late autumn of 1705 from Arnstadt to Lübeck to hear and see the master of the organ, Dietrich Buxtehude, play. Bach's journey of nearly 450 kilometers, full of hardships and uncertainties, was a voyage that was not only musically, but also spiritually and existentially charged. Cellist Benjamin Glorieux repeated this journey in December 2022, an initiative with which he wanted to experience how such a journey could deepen the experience of music. This exceptional journey formed the basis for the concert narrative: a compelling reflection on losing yourself, getting lost, and ultimately finding something new in the experience.
The musical performance was provided by the ensemble Kapellmeister, consisting of violinist Marieke Vos, viola da gambist Lies Wyers, and harpsichordist Denis Roosen. The performers, all masters of their craft, presented a varied program that was built strongly both musically and in content. Central to the program were Buxtehude's Trio Sonata in A minor (BuxWV 272), a refined and expressive work that revealed the deeper layers of his musical language, and Telemann's Trio Sonata in G minor (TWV 42: g11), in which the elegant melodic lines and dancing rhythmic character underscored the narrative power of the music. Of course, Johann Sebastian Bach could not be missing, with his Sonata in G for Harpsichord and Violin, with Viola da Gamba if desired (BWV 1019), a work that brought the dialogue between the instruments sublimely to the ear. The evening concluded with the impressive Chaconne in A by Schmelzer, a masterfully constructed and intensely charged composition that formed a fitting finale to a concert that moved the listener not only musically but also narratively.
The concert was a harmonious fusion of music, word, and sound, where the performance, the soundscapes, and the story reinforced each other and completely immersed the listener in a profound engaging experience.
The Sint-Rochuskapel, with its intimate acoustics and warm atmosphere, proved once again to be an ideal venue for an event of this kind. The musical subtleties came across excellently, and the coordination between the performers and the space contributed to the atmosphere of the evening.
The audience reacted enthusiastically and rewarded the artists with a spontaneous standing ovation, a well-deserved recognition for an evening that was not only technically refined, but also artistically and emotionally profound.
Those who missed the performance in Hoegaarden can take a look at the schedule on the Kapellmeister website: https://www.kapellmeister.info/concerten.html.