From Sighs to Song

The Violana Ensemble presents From Sighs to Song, an evocative programme tracing contrasting emotional landscapes of 17th- and 18th-century music.

In the first half, the trio delves into the shadows of mourning and yearning before settling into a new realm of peaceful, undisturbed joy and spiritual renewal in the second.

Part I explores the fragility of love, loss, and devotion, beginning with JS Bach’s ethereal 'Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben' from the St Matthew Passion. Works by Giovanni Battista Porsile and Barbara Strozzi follow in the programme, sharing contemplative expressions of heartbreak and yearning, particularly evident in the harmony of the harpsichord’s line. GP Telemann’s fiery 'Du bist verflucht' paints the inner turmoil and the curse of the ‘Schreckensstimme’ (voice of terror).

In Part II, light breaks through the sorrow! Telemann’s 'Lauter Wonne, lauter Freude' opens, brimming with a sort of bubbling jubilation, particularly evident in the dialogue between the voice and the recorder. Bach’s serene 'Ich folge dir gleichfalls' reflects the steadfast devotion of the heart. Handel’s arias 'Meine Seele hört im Sehen' and 'Süße Stille, sanfte Quelle' celebrate nature and inner peace through melodic lines of exquisite delicacy.

This concert, performed by the Violana Ensemble, promises a musically evocative, emotional journey to all who wish to experience the wide variety of feelings Baroque music has to offer.