Target reached!
We plan to use the additional funds to help with promotion and a possible CD launch ...
Florilegium record Vol. 3 of the Spohr Collection
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
We aim to raise £6,500 towards the recording of vol.3 of the Spohr Collection of baroque flutes.
About the recording
The Spohr collection of flutes is possibly one of the largest private collections of original flutes in existence. Over the last 45 years approximately 600 flutes have been collected spanning the entire history of the flute, from the earliest 3-piece French flute made by Chatillon in 1680s to Boehm system flutes from the 19th century and beyond. Once again, Ashley Solomon (Director of Florilegium) has been given access to this remarkable and unique collection and is planning to record baroque and classical music on 9 original flutes. Volume 1 released in 2020 involved 9 flutes and volume 2, which is due for release this April, enabled him to use a further 6 flutes.
This new CD that will be recorded in Holland towards the end of April with Channel Classics, will include works by Mozart, Vivaldi, WF Bach, Handel, Locatelli and songs that were presented in the Vauxhall Garden Concerts in London in the 18th century.
What makes this project so unique
Nowadays playing original flutes is almost impossible in any musical instrument museum worldwide. The flutes which Ashley will be using for this recording are all in their original condition and have not been modernised or subject to other interventions. As a professional baroque flautist for over 30 years and with more than 1,500 live concert performances and over 35 CD recordings to his name, Ashley has realised that modern copies of baroque flutes really bear very little resemblance to the sound world that original flutes produce. He is very excited to be able to record this next CD with his Florilegium colleagues, sharing the unique sound world of these instruments with the listener as they explore their tonal qualities and colours in the context of baroque and early classical music.
There are currently no sound recordings available that experimentally explore so many original instruments over such a period. Having slumbered in their cases in Frankfurt for so long, some of these instruments are fragile, delicate and temperamental. However, there is almost nothing in life as viscerally exciting, as appealing to the intellect and to the senses, as playing on outstanding historical instruments. It is essential for the integrity of this project that he identifies repertoire that was appropriate for the selected flutes in both temporal and geographical terms; music that could perhaps have been played on these particular instruments at the time of their manufacture.
What we will record
Mozart, Flute Quartet in D major
Vivaldi, Sonata in E minor (Stockholm)
Locatelli, Sonata no.6 in G minor
WFBach IBW58 Sonata in E minor
Chilcot, Song Orpheus and his lute
Lampe, Song Pretty warblers
Pepusch, Sonata No. 16 in b minor
Claggert Airs for the flute
Barsanti, A collection of Scots airs
When and where
As the flutes are all based in Frankfurt and our recording company is in Holland, we have decided to make this recording in a church in Holland (near Rotterdam) from 17-20 April 2023. To prepare for this recording Ashley has already made several visits to Frankfurt to get to know each flute so he can present them in the best possible way on this recording. One of the unique challenges of recording on original instruments is that each flute is different with its own personality that needs to be coaxed and encouraged. As they cannot be brought to England this takes a considerable amount of time and determination to ensure each plays at its very best for the recording.
Why we need your help
A recording project like this needs a big investment from Florilegium. We are responsible for covering the costs of research, rehearsals, preparation of modern editions of the repertoire. In addition, we need to raise money to cover all player fees for the recording as well as hiring the church, providing and tuning the keyboard instruments and our travel to Holland and hotel accommodation whilst there. As always, our partners in this enterprise will be Jared Sacks and Channel Classics who will cover the substantial recording, production and post-production costs for the CD and booklet, delivering, as always, an exceptional product both aurally and visually.
We are looking for people to join our circle of supporters to help us make this project a reality and take the next vital step in Florilegium’s artistic development. It is an expensive undertaking and we appreciate that this is a difficult and challenging time to ask for financial support. Nevertheless we do sincerely hope that we will be successful in achieving our goal of raising £6,500 through this crowdfunding campaign between now and the start of the recording in April.
About Florilegium
Regular performances in some of the world’s most prestigious venues have confirmed Florilegium’s status as one of Britain’s most outstanding period instrument ensembles. Since their formation in 1991 they have established a reputation for stylish and exciting interpretations, from intimate chamber works to large-scale orchestral and choral repertoire, working as an instrumental ensemble and also in collaboration with some outstanding solo singers and choirs.
Concert venues have included Sydney Opera House, Esplanade (Singapore), Teatro Colon (Buenos Aires), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Konzerthaus (Vienna), Beethoven-Haus (Bonn), Handel-Haus (Halle) and Frick Collection (New York). Among the numerous residencies Florilegium have held was Ensemble-in-Residence at London’s Wigmore Hall from 1998 to 2000, performing several series of concerts each year and becoming actively involved in the Hall’s education work. They are Ensemble in Association at the Royal College of Music, working regularly each term with students on both period and modern instruments in the area of baroque chamber music.
Florilegium’s recordings for Channel Classics have been awarded many prizes including two Gramophone Award nominations, three BBC Music Magazine awards, numerous Editor’s Choice from Gramophone, and half a dozen Diapasons d’Or and Chocs de la Musique in France, and their Bach Cantatas disc with Johannette Zomer was awarded an Edison Award, Dutch music’s most prestigious prize. Johannette will be joining Florilegium once again for this new recording.
For more information about Florilegium visit www.florilegium.org.uk
What people say about Florilegium
'Florilegium is a bright star in the musical sky' (Peter Millican, CEO, Kings Place London)
'Formed in 1991, the ensemble was so impressive that they were appointed Resident Wigmore Ensemble in 1998. It has been wonderful to see their international concert career flourishing and complemented by their many prize-winning recordings'.(William Lyne, Director Emeritus, Wigmore Hall).
'The RCM is delighted to enjoy a close association with performers whose virtuosity inflects historical principles with such personality, character and verve'. (Professor Colin Lawson CBE, Director, RCM)
'Florilegium are brilliant, innovative, rigorous and daring in equal measure, with the generosity to share their art with the widest possible public and the next generation of talented artists, be they urban music scholars or indigenous villagers'. (HE Nigel Baker, HM Ambassdor, British Embassy to the Holy See)
'Florilegium’s lithe sound, committed focus on producing the very best results, alongside their infectious enthusiasm, all contribute to make them special within the arts in the UK'. (David Hill, Music Director, The Bach Choir)
This project successfully funded on 3rd April 2023