25 Years of Laus Polyphoniae. Who would have thought that the Antwerp Days of Early Music, once held in the Rubens House, would grow into the world's largest polyphony festival where all conceivable significant names were guests. Musicians and ensembles that already had a name, but also young talent that later broke through on the international scene: Laus Polyphoniae always managed to find them. And that continues.
One of those younger ensembles is Scherzi Musicali, led by Nicolas Achten. Festival director prof. dr. Bart Demuyt wanted to give him the opening concert of the jubilee festival. During an exploratory conversation, well over 2.5 years ago, Nicolas Achten mentioned that he would like to program La Pellegrina one day, partly because he had discovered that the known version was one with many layers of varnish. There was mention of an instrument that has since disappeared that also conducted the basso continuo. This sounded literally and figuratively like music to Bart Demuyt's ears and the decision was quickly made. Achten would perform with his ensemble Scherzi Musicali the purified version, that is, the one as original as possible with that as yet unknown instrument to be built. This would open 25 years of Laus Polyphoniae, the Antwerp part of the Festival van Vlaanderen, would be an exceptional event that everyone would talk about. And that's how it turned out.
Klassiek Centraal had the privilege of being at the preview on Ascension Day, Mother's Day in Antwerp and the surrounding area and Rubens Market in the city that celebrates the splendor of the Baroque for a full year. At this opening, Antwerp's alderman for culture, Mrs. Caroline Bastiaens and the chairman of the FvV Antwerp, Mr. Philip Heylen spoke joint praise for the festival, the founders with Lieve Schaubroeck at the helm at the time – what would it have become without her? – and her successor Bart Demuyt. During this celebration, Michaël Scheck, for years a motivator, inspirator and musical jack-of-all-trades in the Flemish musical life, was honored for his efforts and achievements. He was and still is a pivotal figure in the Festival van Vlaanderen Antwerp and Laus Polyphoniae.
In the magnificent setting of the 400-year-old Sint-Augustinuskerk, nowadays the home of AMUZ, where new very successful altarpieces by Jan Fabre are displayed - in these works he refers to Baroque symmetry, symbolism, ornamentation and the golden ratio – a La Pellegrina resounded that was overpowering. The splendor and glory in this music comes much more into its own and you hear new colors, not only because of the 'new' instrument that is at least 400 years 'old', the baschitarone. The wealth of voice changes, instrumental variation with three organs, different types of lutes and chitarinos, string instruments, traverso, supported by impressive brass and cornet and melodies that immerse you in a celebration that indeed radiates perfect harmony and the finest that could be offered at that time, completes the whole. The marriage between Ferdinando I de Medici and Christine of Lorraine in 1589 still resonates, at least musically in 2018.
Nicolas Achten and his musicians positioned themselves with this performance firmly in the center of today's younger generation of well-trained specialists in historically informed performance practice. It is not an exaggeration to speak of the absolute top, and thus the succession is ensured by those whom we may call the pioneers of the 'early music practice'. Moreover, this young generation has the advantage that the pioneers have done an enormous amount of basic research on which work can now be continued. Things we listened to with open-mouthed wonder 40 years ago are now examined even more thoroughly and presented with even more insight and finesse. What a gift to musical experience that such advanced work is being delivered. The 'early music' as a concept may not survive it – and that's not so bad at all – but the historically informed and musically as score-faithful as possible performance is flourishing. May it last much longer. An organization like Laus Polyphoniae and people like Nicolas Achten, Bart Demuyt and so many others guarantee this. Thanks to all that effort and all that infinite beauty!
More information about the nearly sold-out festival Laus Polyphoniae can be found on the website and in the double program booklet. A program divided into two: the period before 1618 and the period after. Why that year? Because that year the Augustinians opened their new monastery church for the first time and also because that year lies in the period between the musical transition from polyphony and Renaissance to Baroque.
- WHAT: Laus Polyphoniae, festive opening of the 25-year festival with La Pellegrina
- WHO: Conductor Nicolas Achten and ensemble Scherzi Musicali
- WHERE & WHEN: AMUZ – Sint-Augustinuskerk Antwerp, August 15, 2018
- PHOTOS: © Noah Shaye and © Jesse Willem