Hi there,
I am happy to share with you some information on the 55th Abu Gosh Festival for vocal music. The festival takes place twice a year, on Sukkot (Tabernacles) and Shavuot (Pentacost).
WHEN: Abu-Gosh Vocal Music Festival will take place during Shavuot, Fri - Sun, 7-9 June 2019.
The Abu Gosh Festival is known among choirs and audiences in Israel and around the world thanks to the special programs, the highest performance, the special atmosphere and the excellent acoustics of the churches: the Church of Kiryat Ye'arim in the top of the village and the crypt of the Crusader Church in its center.
During the festival there will be 9 concerts in a church in Kiryat Yearim and 4 concerts in the crypt of the Crusader church. On Saturday and Sunday from 12:00-16:00 the festival within the festival will take place in five centers around the church playing music for four hours at the same time.
This year the festival is hosting the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. The Estonian choir, winner of the Gramophone and Grammy Awards for Best Choir, is one of the best choirs in the world. The choir will appear on each festival day at noon in the Kiryat Ye'arim church. It will appear in two classical programs and on the third day will combine the two (conductor Kaspars Putninš). The Bach Choir from the University of Freiburg, Germany, will perform in the joint program with the Ma'ayan Choir of Israel (conductors Hans Reich and Anat Morag). They will sing from both sides of the hall.
The festival will feature a production of the opera "Orpheus by Georg Philippe Telemann a composer from Bach's time with the best soloists under the direction of Yair Polishuk accompanied by harpsichord, recorders, oboe and percussion instruments.
The mythological Orpheus, who due to the the beauty of his music was allowed to enter the underworld and bring out his dead lover, Euridice, has been the basis of countless opera works since the birth of this art. Telmann's work, unlike its counterparts by Monteverdi, Gluck and others, adds to the story the image of Queen Ursia, which leads to the death of Euridice because of her fanatical love for Orpheus. Thus, a dramatic dimension full of passion and envy was added to the classical story.
Keren Hadar will appear in two different programs. In the first unique program Hadar meets the percussion ensemble Tremolo with five female vocalists headed by Tomer Yariv. The concert includes masterpieces from various folkloric cultures, plus a surprise in the form of the Banai family's string of songs. The second program is in South American colors accompanied by the Kibbutz Artzi choir and two Latin ensembles, including works by Ramirez, Gilberto Gil, Bob Cheelcott and a classic piece by Paul McCartney. Conductor: Yuval Ben-Ozer.
The Ramat Gan Chamber Choir with members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Hanna Tzur will perform a short recital in memory of Verdi by Puccini and Requiem by Bruckner. Johannes-Passion by Bach will be performed by the Tel Aviv Chamber Choir, leading baroque musicians and soloists conducted by Michael Shani.
A crypt of the Benedictine Church in the center of the village: a trumpet concert, cello, piano and soprano, songs and tunes from the British Isles, piyyutim and prayers from the various testimonies by a siren ensemble conducted by Shosh Lagil and a concert from Italy to Argentina with Sivan Rotem, Yonatan Zack and Eyal Kells.
On Saturday and Sunday between 12:00-16:00, the "festival within the festival" will take place - in the beautiful area surrounding the Kiryat Ye'arim church. 5 different venues of "outdoor concerts" - choirs and singing groups on the patio, music from northern India and light chamber music on the Jerusalem corner, anglo-saxon folk music and popular opera pieces in the western corner, accordion and metal tools at the corner of the olives and singing of the audience accompanied by a virtuoso accordion in the grove, all for four consecutive hours at the same time.
Above: The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Photography: Kaupo Kikkas
The festival program is as follows:
St. Joseph Church – Kiryat Yearim
1 / Friday / 7.6.19 / 11:30 Keren Hadar with Tremolo Ensemble Mendelssohn, de Falla, the Banai Family Song Cycle
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): Ave Maris Stela Edvard Grieg (1843-1907): The Death of Aasa, arr. Tomer Yariv Manuel De Falla (1876-1946): Siete canciones populares, arr: Moran Magen: 1. El paño moruno. 2. Seguidilla murciana. 3. Asturiana. 4. Jota. 5. Nana. 6. Canción. 7. Polo
Bela Bartok (1881-1945): Suite, arr: Tremolo, Uri Mann, Erez Cohen – 1. Three Romanian Dances. 2. The Peacock. 3. Barcarole. 4. Finale from Dance Suite
The Banai family Suite: 1. My love / Ehud Banai. 2. Les vieux amants / Jacques Brel, Naomi Shemer. 3. I Put On Powder / Charles Perrault (Mother Goose Tales), Eviatar Banai. 4. Drunk, But Not on Wine, Sabre Dance / Yossi Banai, Matti Caspi, Aram Khachaturian
5. Rain / Meir Banai
Keren Hadar – soprano Tremolo Percussion Ensemble: Lior Tal, Daniel Salmonov, Nadav Ovadia, Tomer Galili, Tomer Yariv
2 / Friday / 7.6.19 / 15:00 The Leading Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Guests of the Festival from Estonia Singing A-Cappella
Program A
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Komm Jesu, Komm, BWV 229 Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Warum ist das Licht gegeben den Mühselige, op. 74 no. 1 Giorgi Ligeti (1923-2006): Lux aeterna Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): 1. Warum toben die Heiden, op. 78 no. 1, Psalms 2. 2. Richte mich, Got, op. 78 no. 2, Psalms 43. 3. Mein Gott, warum, op. 78 no. 3, Psalms 22 Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu meine Freude, BWV 227
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Ene Salumäe - organist Kaspars Putninš – conductor
3 / Friday / 7.6.19 / 18:00 Pergolesi, Verdi, Puccini, Paganini and Bruckner
Giovanni Batista Pergolesi (1710-1736): Magnificat for choir and orchestra Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901): Jewish slaves' song from the opera Nabuco Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924): Requiem in memory of Verdi, for viola solo, choir and orchestra Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840): Venetian Carnival, instrumental Anton Bruckner (1824-1896): Requiem in D minor for choir and orchestra
Saida Bar-Lev – violist Shmuel Hershko – tuba player The Ramat Gan Chamber Choir The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra musicians: Saida Bar-Lev, Robert Mozes – violinists / Yuval Kaminkovsky – violist / Marcel Bergman – cellist / Gabriel Volé – double bass player / Irit Rob – organist / Christian Schmiedescamp, Micha Davis, Shauli Hershko – trombonists Hannah Tzur – conductor
4 / Saturday / 8.6.19 / 11:30 The opera Orpheus by G. P. Telemann Love, passion and jealousy with magic Baroque music - Concertante version
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767): Orpheus, or The Wonderful Constancy of Love, opera in three acts
Orpheus Opera Ensemble: Daniela Skorka, Hadas Faran, Tal Ganor – soprano Eitan Drori - tenor Oded Reich - baritone Pnini Grubner – bass Tali Goldberg, Smadar Schidlowsky – baroque violin Daniel Tanchelsohn – baroque viola Orit Messer Jacobi – baroque cello Doret Florentin, Netta Hubsher – baroque recorder Amir Bakman – baroque oboe Marina Minkin – harpsichord player Nadav Ovadia – percussion and psaltery Yair Polishook – conductor Merav Barak - producer
Above: Daniela Skorka, Photography: Magal Atar
5 / Saturday / 8.6.19 / 15:00 The Leading Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Guests of the Festival from Estonia Singing A-Cappella
Program B Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847): 1. Richte mich, Got, op. 78 no. 2, Psalms 43. 2. Mein Gott, warum, op. 78 no. 3, Psalms 22 Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf, op. 74 no. 2 Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): From Des Knaben Wunderhorn - 1. Urlicht, arr. Clytus Gottwald for 16-voices choir 2. Es sungen drei engel, arr. Clytus Gottwald for 16-voices choir Arvo Pärt (b. 1935): Magnificat Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225 Felix Mendelsshon (1809-1847): Ave Maria, op. 23 no. 2
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Ene Salumäe - organist Kaspars Putninš – conductor
6 / Saturday / 8.6.19 / 18:00 Different Prayers in the Church
Bob Chilcott (b. 1955): Nidaros Jazz Mass Paul McCartney (b. 1942): Gratia from the oratorio Ecce Cor Meum ilberto Gil (b. 1942): Songs – 1. Aos pes da santa cruz. 2. Se eu quiser fallar com deus. 3. Expresso 2222. 4. Luzia Luluza. 5. Baba alapal Daniel Alomía Robles (1871-1942): El Condor Pasa Tomás Méndez (1927-1995): Cucurrucucú paloma Ariel Ramirez (1921-2010): 1. Alfosina y el mar. 2. Misa Criolla
The Kibbutz Artzi Choir Keren Hadar – soprano Tal Koch – tenor Jana Kopelev - pianist Refavela Ensemble: Alon Glasinger – flutist and guitar player / Raz Ezra – flutist / Nadav Ben Ozer – saxophonist / Lior Ozeri – double bass player / Ran Itzhaki – percussionist Ensemble LatinoAmerica: Eduardo Abramson – flutist, percussionist and music director / Marcel Zuber – charango player / Claudio Cohen-Tarika – percussionist Yuval Ben Ozer – conductor
7 / Sunday / 9.6.19 / 11:30 Rossini, Brahms, Villa-Lobos, Gabrieli The German Bach-Freiburg Choir together with the Israeli Maayan Choir
Misha Segal (b. 1943): Second bird, lyrics: Nathat Zach, arr. David Mors Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612): Gloria Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): 1. Motets from Fest- und Gedenksprüche, op. 109 nos. 1 & 3: Unsere Väter hofften auf dich. Wo ist ein so herrlich Volk. 2. Liebeslieder Waltzes, op. 52 Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868): Ave Maria Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959): Ave Maria Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) / Charles Gounod (1818-1893): Ave Maria Benjamin Britten (1913-1976): A Hymn to the Virgin Urmas Sisask (b. 1960): Ave Maria Lars Jansson (b. 1951): Salve Regina, arr. Eric Erickson
The Freiburg Bach Choir, Germany Anna Immerz, Martin Müller - pianists Maayan Choir, Israel Odelia Sever-Eliezrov - pianist Hannes Reich, Anat Morhag – conductors
8 / Sunday / 9.6.19 / 15:00 The Leading Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Guests of the Festival from Estonia Singing A-Cappella
Program C
Felix Mendelsshon (1809-1847): Ave Maria, op. 23 no. 2 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Jesu meine Freude, BWV 227 Intermission Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Warum ist das Licht gegeben den Mühselige, op. 74 no. 1 Johann Sebastian Bach: Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied, BWV 225 Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): From Des Knaben Wunderhorn - 1. Urlicht, arr. Clytus Gottwald for 16-voices choir 2. Es sungen drei engel, arr. Clytus Gottwald for 16-voices choir Arvo Pärt (b. 1935): Magnificat
Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Ene Salumäe - organist Kaspars Putninš – conductor
9 / Sunday / 9.6.19 / 18:00 Bach – Johannes-Passion, Oratorio for soloists, choir and orchestra
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Johannes-Passion, BWV 245
Eitan Drori – tenor - Evangelist Yeela Avital – soprano Alon Harari – counter tenor Eran Hanani - tenor Oded Reich, Yoav Weiss – bass The Tel Aviv Chamber Choir Barocada Collective Ensemble Michael Shani – conductor
Concerts at the Crypt
10 / Friday / 7.6.19 / 14:00 Pulsating Poetry and Prayer
Piris Eliyahu (b. 1960): Out of the Depths, Psalms 130 Dafna Eilat (1938-2002): Songs of My Land, reflections, arr. Oded Zehavi, lyrics: Lea Goldberg / Naomi Shemer Eran Dinur (b. 1974): You and Me and the Coming War, lyrics: Hanoch Levin, arr.: Amit Poznanski Nahum Heiman (1934-2016): Like a Wildflower, lyrics: Rachel Shapira, arr. Yuval Cohen Matti Kovler (b.1980): The Soul Descends, based on Habad tradition Esty Keinan-Ofri (b.1953): I will exalt you, Lord, Psalms 30, based on Jewish-Ethiopian tradition Piris Eliyahu: Biraninay, from the mountains Jews of Dagastan's tradition Amit Poznanski (b. 1974): Now is a Wonderful Time, lyrics: Hanoch Levin Yehudit Ravitz (b.1956): A Daily Love, lyrics: Tirza Atar, arr: Ifat Ziv Sepharadi Tradition: 1. Eggplant recipes, arr. Mark Eliyahu. 2. Durme, Durme, arr. Oded Zehavi. 3. La Vida Do Por el Raki, arr. Jonathan Keren
Ensemble Sirenot: Anika Kagan, Inbar Fenster, Moran Lee Kogan, Mayan Rodeh, Inbal Shemesh Shilor, Eva Levit, Mor Rozenfeld Boris Malkovsky – pianist, accordionist and composer Shosh Lagil – conductor
11 / Friday / 7.6.19 / 16:15 "Sound the Trumpets", with Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and Gershwin
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759): 1. Eternal source of light divine, from Ode to Queen Ann's Birthday. 2. Rejoice, from “Messiah" Ivan Fischer (b. 1951): Eine Deutsch-Jiddische Kantate for soprano, trumpet and piano Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Sonata no. 2 in D major for viola da Gamba and keyboard, BWV 1028, version for cello and organ Henry Purcell (1659-1695): Sound the trumpet Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741): Domine Deus, from “Gloria”, WV 588 George Gershwin (1898-1937): Summer Time, from Porgy and Bess Mordechai Zeira (1905-1968): Hayu Leilot, lyrics: Jaacob Orland
Tal Ganor – soprano Rona Brosh – trumpeter Gal Nyska – cellist Raviv Leibzirer – pianist
12 / Saturday / 8.6.19 / 14:00 Songs and Tunes from the British Iles Featuring Irish harp, whistle recorder and guitar
Green Sleeves, Sound Sleep, Wind Blowing, the Sailor's Trumpet, Hector the Brave, Down by the Salley Gardens, Darby Sheep, Bird Lovers Happiness, Black is the Color, Scarborough Fare
Anonymous: Green Sleeves Anonymous / Jacob Van Eyck (1590 -1657): Daphne, Song and Variations Henry Purcell (1659-1695): Music for a While Turlough O'carolan (1670-1738): Eleanor Planket for harp solo Traditional songs from the British Isles: 1. Blow the Wound Southerly - English song. 2. Sailors Hornpipe – English tune. 3. Down by the Sally Garden - Irish song. 4. Hectore the Heart and Colby reel - Irish tune. 5. The Ash Grove - Walsh song. 6. Derby Ram - English song Anonymous: Birds Delight for recorder solo Traditional songs from the British Isles: 1. Plaisir D’amour - English Song. 2. Black is the Color - Scottish song. 3. The Cambell’s Are Coming- Scottish tune. 4. Scarbourgh fair - English song. 5. The Star from the County Down - Irish song
Revital Raviv – soprano Robi Hod – flutist and whistle recorder player Iris Eyal – Irish harp player Eyal Leber – guitar player
13 / Saturday / 8.6.19 / 16:15 From Italy to Argentina Rossini, Bellini, Gustavino, Gardel, Ginastera Samba, Tarantella, Milonga
Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983): Sinco Canciones Populares Argentinas, op. 10 Manuel De Falla (1876-1946): Danza Espan᷈ola from La vida breve for violín and piano, arr. Kritz Kreisler Carlos Guastavino (1912-2000): 1. La Rosa y el Sauce. 2. Vin᷈a de Chapanay Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908): Zigeunerweisen Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835): 1. Melanconia, Ninfa Gentile. 2. Vaga Luna que inargenti Gioachino Rossini (1792-1898): 1. La Pastorella delle Alpi. 2. La Danza Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Tzigane, for violin and piano Carlos Gardel (1890-1935): 1. Por una Cabeza. 2. El Dia que me quieras Sebastian Piana (1903-1994): Milonga Sentimental
Sivan Rotem – soprano Eyal Kless – violinist Jonathan Zak - pianist
HOW TO GET THERE: For the convenience arriving at the festival, Highway 1 has been expanded on one route from Sha'ar Hagai. The festival can also be reached through the new tunnel leading from Highway 1 to Neve Ilan. Down the hill leading to Kiryat Yearim there are many parking lots, as well as transportation. The markings in waze are as follows: to Kiryat Ye'arim: "Notre Dame 1 Abu Ghosh" and to the crypt in the Crusader church "Benedectini".
TICKETS: Ticket prices 144 NIS for a concert at Kiryat Ye'arim, 95 NIS at the Crypt, 85 NIS for the entrance to the "Concerts outside" festival (30 NIS for children). The purchase is available through the English Bimot Website or by phone *6226 or at the Bravo *3221 For more information on the history of Abu Gosh you can see the English festival website.
Best,
Talma
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