Fri, July 11th at 7 pm, St. John’s church
MISSA VOTIVA
Jan Dismis Zelenka, Tomas Louis de Victoria
Jan Dismas Zelenka, a Czech (or rather Bohemian) composer from Bach’s time, is widely considered one o
Tom Ben Ishai – soprano, Sharon Yelin – alto, Omri Aizenbud – tenor, Noam Perl Treves – tenor, Alvar Tiisler – bass-baritone, Baroque orchestra Barrocade (Israel), Moran Singers (Israel), conductor Andres Mustonen
f the most underrated and prominent composers of the Baroque era. He was a prolific composer, composing hundreds of works, including some 20 great masses, oratorios, requiems and other church works, as well as instrumental music including concertos, symphonies and chamber music. Zelenka is known for his innovative and original writing, with an emphasis on complex polyphony, exciting and surprising harmony, virtuosic demands on the instruments, and the use of a variety of musical styles, including influences from Czech folk music.
Missa votiva is one of Zelenka’s later works, from his peak as a composer. The story behind the Missa votiva is related to the composer’s serious health problems in the 1730s, when he was about 55–60 years old. In some of the manuscripts of the works, Zelenka notes that the works were written in great haste and in poor health. There is no doubt that Zelenka was frustrated by the heavy workload, which eventually overwhelmed him and brought him to a state of health that did not allow him to continue writing. However, in 1739 Zelenka managed to recover. Zelenka’s recovery and return to musical activity were considered by him to be nothing less than a divine miracle, and Zelenka wrote the mass as the fulfillment of a vow of thanksgiving to God for his recovery. On the cover of the manuscript of the work, the composer added a verse from Psalm 117 – „Vota mea Domino reddam coram omni populo ejus“ (’I will pay my vows to the Lord, I will pay them before all his people’), and at the end of the score Zelenka adds the sentence – „Zelenka offers this vowed mass for the glory of God after having recovered with the help of God.“
This work is one of the largest in Zelenka’s oeuvre. It is about an hour long (or even more). It is written for four soloists, a choir and a string orchestra enriched with trumpets and bassoon. In the best tradition of giant masses, Zelenka did not content himself with writing 6 musical movements (corresponding to the 6 movements of the mass – Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei), but divided the main text sections internally and created different musical movements of different natures. And so he composed a mass that actually includes 20 movements, including large choral sections, arias, chorales, dramatic episodes, and fugues.
Yizhar Karshon
The Israeli Baroque Orchestra Barrocade, known to the festival audience from 2022. Founded in 2007 by a group of young and enthusiastic musicians, the orchestra has become now one of the most remarkable ensembles in Israel. Omer Shomroni from Globes has said: „In my opinion, Barrocade is the most intriguing musical group currently performing in Israel.“
Barrocade has performed in all of Israel’s major festivals and concert halls as well as abroad. The orchestra has appeared in the Varaždin Baroque Evenings Festival in Croatia and was granted the Prize of the Excelling Concert. It has also represented Israel in concerts in the USA and Georgia. The performance of Purcell’s semi-opera The Fairy Queen in Israel and in London’s Wigmore Hall is worth mentioning as well. All members of the ensemble have graduated from leading European academies, specializing in early music. It is notable that the ensemble’s string instruments were built by its music director Amit Tiefenbrunn and the bows by lute player Eitan Hoffer. Usually the collective plays independently but sometimes collaborates with different conductors (Philip Pickett, David Stern, Matthew Halls, Shalev Ed-El) to perform larger Baroque pieces such as oratorios and operas. Barrocade is known for its rich sound that is owed to its large and varied basso continuo section.
Andres Mustonen is one of the most charismatic Estonian conductors and musicians whose creative ideas and choices are anything but typical and boring. It has been said: „Andres Mustonen’s performances can be characterized as highly individual. With everything he does, he expresses his original outlook and musical cognition, be it conducting symphonies by Mahler and Shostakovich or the Vienna classics.“ (Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra)
Andres Mustonen graduated from the violin class of Prof. Endel Lippus in Tallinn Music High School in 1972 and at the Tallinn State Conservatory in 1977. As a conductor he has collaborated with many prestigious European orchestras such as Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonietta Riga, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Glasperlenspiel Sinfonietta, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra… He has also appeared in front of the prominent collectives as a violin soloist. Mustonen’s repertoire embraces both early music and contemporary works, the particular interest being placed on religious large forms such as oratorios and masses by Bach, Mozart, Bruckner, Schütz, Telemann, etc. Mustonen works closely with several contemporary composers and has brought to Estonia numerous works by Kancheli, Silvestrov, Takemitsu and Penderecki. Mustonen is definitely one of the best experts of early music in Estonia. In 1972, he founded the early music consort Hortus Musicus which gives vital performances until today. Mustonen often shares his experiences and knowledge through different masterclasses and lectures. He has also started several concert series and festivals, most known of them probably MustonenFest. Andres Mustonen has been awarded with the Estonian State Cultural Award in 1995, the Order of the White Star of the Republic of Estonia in 1998 and the prize of Estonian Music Council in 2003. In 2016, he received a gold medal as the highest award of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia.
Organizers:
Peeter Vähi – artistic director
Tiina Jokinen – executive director
Kadri Kiis – producer, accountant
Meeta Vardja – musicologist, editor of festival booklet
Mart Kivisild – design
Olavi Sööt – co-producer, video, logistics
Reno Hekkonens – marketing director, PR
Johannes Vähi – co-producer, webmaster, logistics
Rebeca Birk – social media
Special thanks: Tartu City Government, Urmas Klaas, Triin Käpp, Jana Raud, Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Canon and Overall, St John’s church, Kaupo Kiis, Kristel Leppik, volunteers
Previous festivals: 2024; 2023; 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018; 2017; 2016; 2015; 2014; 2013; 2012; 2011; 2010; 2009; 2008; 2007; 2006; 2005; Archives: Glasperlenspiel 2003 and 2004