New CD Rembrandt! by Alon Sariel & Concerto Foscari

This album is Alon Sariel's personal homage to Rembrandt van Rijn, whose 350th date of death is commemorated by the art world in 2019.

As a lutenist, Alon Sariel has been fascinated by the Dutch Golden Age since many years now – perhaps specifically because the musical pearls of this epoch are seldomly performed and certainly are not counted among what is called the standard repertoire for this instrument.

A big part of the CD's programme is originally lute music, since without a doubt, the lute was the most appreciated instrument of the Golden Age. The paintings from these years speak a clear message: Circa 25 per cent of all music images show a lute.

However, Sariel has added some instruments – instruments, which enjoyed great popularity such as the viola da gamba and flutes. Therefore, the lute music in the recording's arrangements becomes even more colourful!.

Moreover, Alon Sariel wanted to create ample space for improvisation, a crucial element of the time's music – and so Concerto Foscari unleashes their imagination as well, having a Rembrandt painting before their eyes.

During rehearsals and recording the musicians often discussed about „colours“, of finding a darker or brighter sound. Musical terminology is often borrowed from the visual world, from the world of images and painting. The moment when painters try to visualise music can be a very intriguing one – as if they wanted to „freeze“ the music and give it eternity, as opposed to a chord on the lute that disappears in a few seconds. It is exactly those painted moments that Alon Sariel wants to breathe new life into with the resources of music and the aim to create the „soundtrack“ of the Golden Age.

Two pieces are recorded here for the first time: Louys de Moy's „L’Italiana & Spagnolet“ and the „Allemande“ by Constantijn Huygens.

Pieces by Emanuel Adriaenssen, Joachim van den Hove, Nicolas Vallet, Johannes Schenck, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck, Samuel Scheidt, Nicolaus a Kempis, Jacob van Eyck, Carel Hacquart, Louys de Moy, John Bull, Peter Philips, Benedictus a Sancto Josepho, Constantijn Huygens and Adriaen Valerius.

Alon Sariel (lute) &
Concerto Foscari: Elisabeth Champollion (flute), Fredrik Hildebrand (viola da gamba), Claudius Kamp (flute/dulcian), Paweł Miczka (violin/viola), Leopold Nicolaus (violin)

Concerto Foscari © Sonja Bürmann

The CD and Booklet “Rembrandt!” are available via the online channels VKJK and Amazon.