To Melt a Stony Heart
Laurence Cummings and Rachel Brown
Location details
In Greek mythology, music is attributed with an almost divine power, as exemplified by the singer Orpheus. Whether human, animal, or deity, Orpheus’s beautiful song could enchant hearts, soothe spirits, and even soften stones. Like the human voice, the flute possesses a sensitivity and agility that allow it to convey deep emotion through ethereal sound, touching the soul.
British conductor and harpsichordist Laurence Cummings shaped the International Handel Festival for a decade, until 2021. He now returns to Göttingen with Baroque flautist Rachel Brown, bringing music of the heart from the early Baroque to the pre-Classical era. Through playing, declaiming, and singing, they will captivate hearts like a modern-day Orpheus, perhaps melting a few stones along the way.
Rachel Brown: Song before Sunrise for solo flute
Louis Couperin: Prélude non mesuré in D major
Jacques Hotteterre: Prélude in D major from L’art de préluder | Sarabande “Le Départ” from the Suite in E minor
Jean-Baptiste Lully: Dans ces déserts paisibles from La grotte de Versailles (LWV 39)
François Couperin: Le Rossignol en Amour for solo harpsichord
Jean-Féry Rebel: Les Éléments
Jean-Baptiste de Bousset: Pourquoi doux rossignol, arr. Jacques Hotteterre
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonata in E minor (BWV 1034)
André Campra: Les flots sentent la puissance from Arion
Georg Friedrich Händel: Sinfonia – Cara sposa from Rinaldo (HWV 7) | Sonata in B minor (HWV 367b) for flute and basso continuo | Minuet – Un momento di contento – Tornami a vagheggiar from Alcina (HWV 34) | Ah mio cor – Verdi prati from Alcina (HWV 34)
Johann Adolph Hasse: Sonata No. XI in D minor
Christoph Willibald Gluck: Ballet des Ombres heureuses from Orphée et Eurydice
Michel Corrette: Les Étoiles for solo harpsichord
Antonio Vivaldi: Sol da te from Orlando furioso (RV 819)
Rachel Brown Flute, recorder
Laurence Cummings Harpsichord and vocals
