Abendmusiken
Literally translated as “evening music,” the original meaning of Abendmusik was quite specific. The concerts were instituted by Franz Tunder (Buxtehude’s predecessor at St Mary’s church in Lübeck, Germany) as organ recitals to entertain businessmen awaiting the opening of the Lübeck stock exchange at noon on Thursdays, and were known informally as “stock exchange” concerts. Buxtehude brought these concerts much closer to the centre of musical activities at St Mary’s church (where he remained as organist for forty years after marrying Tunder’s daughter) by moving them to specific Sundays in the church calendar. Apart from his already-famous solo organ recitals, Buxtehude also included mixed programmes that featured vocal and instrumental solo and chamber works. The business community eventually became the main source of funding for the Abendmusiken.
An evening of harpsichord and organ music
Saturday, 8 March 2008, 7.30 pm
Norwegian Seamen's Mission, 300 Pasir Panjang Road
TICKETS may be purchased at the door
(suggested donation $10 per ticket)
Programme
Yang Tien (harpsichord)
Georg Friederich Handel (1685-1759)
Suite No. 7 in G minor
Domenico. Scarlatti (1685-1757)
Sonatas K208, K26 and K24 (all in A major)
Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927)
Toccata
Christina Suresh (organ)
Wilhelm Friedmann. Bach (1710-1784)
Fugue No. 1 in B-flat Major
J. Brahms (1833-1897)
‘Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele’ (‘Deck thyself, my soul’), from 11 Chorale Preludes Op. 122
Jean Langlais (1907-1991)
Expressions for Organ, No. 4
Benjamin Carr (1769-1831)
Variations to the ‘Sicilian Hymn’
Chong Ten Yeen (organ)
Andrea Gabrieli (1522/3-1585)
Ricercar Arioso (II)
Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau (1663-1712)
Chorale variations on ‘Jesu, Meine Freude’
Singing of chorale ‘Werde munter’ (‘Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring’) by the audience
Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
Chorale variations on ‘Werde munter, mein Gemüte’
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Chorale prelude ‘Jesus Christus, unser Heiland’ BWV666
Music in the Time of King Christian IV of Denmark
Saturday, 8 November 2008, 7.30 pm
Danish Seamen’s Church, 10 Pender Road
TICKETS: $10 each, available by email or at the door
Light refreshments after concert
King Christian IV (1577-1648) has gone down in history as the man who led Denmark into endless wars against neighbouring states. In spite of that, he was a good king to his people, and cared for them and their needs. He was widely known as a great patron of architecture and laid the foundation for many cities. However, his contributions to music have been largely forgotten until The Institute of Musicology, Copenhagen, in collaboration with The Christian IV Foundation, embarked on a comprehensive research project in 1988 which revealed Christian IV as one of Denmark's most generous patrons of music in their 7-volume publication Music in Denmark at the Time of Christian IV.
Ab Oriente explores a selection of significant works from this publication, including Møgens Pederson’s unusual Lutheran mass, the Missa Quinque Vocum.
