Les Nations: A musical journey around 17th century Europe

Programme

Cavalli, Canzon a 3 [Musiche Sacre 1656]

Purcell, Sonata 3 in A minor [Ten Sonatas of Four Parts 1697]

Rosenmüller, Sonata 2 in E minor [Sonate a 2, 3, 4 e 5 – Nürnberg 1682]

Buxtehude, Sonata in A minor [Opus 1, no.3 – Hamburg ?1694]

Couperin, La Françoise [Les Nations – Paris 1726]

Performers

Canzona (playing on period instruments):

Theresa Caudle (Violin I / Director)

Alice Poppleton (Violin II)

Mark Caudle (Viola da gamba)

Andrew Arthur (Harpsichord)

Canzona was formed in 1992 and comprises some of this country’s leading players of period instruments. Many of Canzona’s concerts present the musicians as a chamber group and the versatility of its director Theresa Caudle, who plays both the violin and cornett, creates the stimulus for a flexible line-up of early wind, brass, and string instruments. They are often joined by a singer and have performed with many distinguished soloists including Philippa Hyde, James Bowman, and Peter Harvey.

The players of Canzona have a particular passion for 17th century music, but whatever they are playing, from Monteverdi to Mozart, they make every effort to play on appropriate instruments for the period. The ensemble is frequently expanded to orchestral proportions and has performed with many of the UK’s outstanding choirs, appearing at the Royal Festival Hall, St John’s Smith Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields, King’s College and Trinity College, Cambridge; Salisbury, Wells, St Albans, and Blackburn Cathedrals. They have also taken part in the Three Choirs Festival and the Spitalfields Festival. In December 2014, Canzona performed Messiah with the Choir of Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal at Buckingham Palace and in May 2016 appeared with the same choir in the Queen’s Chapel, St James’ Palace in a concert to celebrate HM Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. As well as performing in London and around Britain, Canzona has given concerts in festivals as far afield as Finland and Malta. They have also made two highly acclaimed recordings: Motets by André Campra on EtCetera, and Theresa Caudle and Canzona’s recording “Violino o Cornetto” of 17th century Italian sonatas for violin and cornett on Nimbus Alliance.