Programme

Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695)

Curtain tune on a ground from Timon of Athens (London 1694) Z. 632

Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (1689 – 1755)

Sonata No. 6, Opus 34 in A minor (Paris 1734)

Adagio – Allegro – Largo – Allegro

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759) Concerto No. 4 in F major, HWV 315 (London 1716)                                                                                          Ouverture (Andante, Allegro, Lentement) – Andante – Allegro – Allegro (Minuetto alternativo)

Johann Christian Schieferdecker (1679 – 1732) From the Musicalische Konzerte: No. 8 in F major (Hamburg 1713)                                                         Ouverture – Concert – Sarabande – Gavotte en Rondeau –  Giquée

Antonio Vivaldi (1678 – 1741)Concerto in G minor, RV 153                                                                                     Allegro –  Andante – Allegro

Reinhard Keiser (1674 – 1739) Ouverture à 4  (3 Oboes and Bassoon)  in D major                                                                                                     Ouvertür – March – Gavotte – Gigue

Performers

Oboe: Valerie Colen Taille & Oboe: Marc Bonastre Riu Bassoon: Giovanni Battista Graziadio Historical Percussion: Philipp Lamprecht Director & Stage: Friederike Karig

Programme Notes

Johann Christian Schieferdecker mentioned in the preface to his thirteen “Musicalische Konzerte”, composed in 1713, that: “they were composed with such care that, in the absence of the necessary people, they could also be performed with only 4 voices, namely 3 Oboes and 1 Bassoon”.

With this sentence, Schieferdecker encapsulates the fundamental idea behind the concert programme: “No Strings Attached”.  The German composer was aware that his music would function perfectly using just double-reed instruments, rather than strings.

Following Schieferdecker’s lead, La Petite Écurie applies this approach to music by composers from France, Italy and England, showcasing the endless virtuosic capabilities of the Oboe Band ensemble.

As part of "No Strings Attached," La Petite Écurie has created Johann Christian Schieferdecker's fictional diary, together with the writer Eva Ximena Traa. In this imaginary diary, the author candidly reflects on himself and his colleagues, muses on time and the world, and shares details about his life and those of his companions with the audience. What secrets would a (re)discovered diary reveal to us?

Biography

La Petite Écurie: Ensemble 

La Petite Écurie is an international ensemble consisting of baroque oboes (French "hautbois"), taille, baroque bassoon and historical percussion instruments.

Hautbois ensembles were extremely popular in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Starting with Louis XIV's "Grande Écurie," which employed most of his wind players, among other formations, the popular hautbois band soon spread throughout the rest of Europe. A versatile wind repertoire emerged, which La Petite Écurie cultivates.

Founded in 2018 by Miriam Jorde Hompanera, Valerie Colen, Marc Bonastre Riu, Giovanni Battista Graziadio and Philipp Lamprecht, this exquisite wind ensemble attracted the interest of audiences as well as concert promoters. Among them are the Bachfest Leipzig, the Felix Festival (Philharmonie Köln), the International Baroque Days Stift Melk (AT), the Festival Urbino Musica Antica (IT) and more.

The group was selected in 2021 by the REMA (European Early Music Network) as a promising new ensemble and invited to perform in front of a broad selection of European early music promoters. In recent times, music journalist Marcus Stäbler made a portrait about La Petite Écurie, which was broadcasted on NDR Kultur (Germany).

Since 2022, La Petite Écurie's recordings have been released under the ARCANA label (Outhere Music). Their debut album, “The Queen's Favourites, Music at the Court of Queen Anne Stuart,” received five Diapasons. The second album, titled “No Strings Attached, Concertos, Overtures and Sonatas for Oboe Band” was released in November 2024.

In addition to performing original music for this ensemble, the group is developing various new concepts, including the silent children's performance "The Sound Explorers", in collaboration with director Friederike Karig. This fruitful collaboration began in January 2022 during the educational series "Loopino" at the Philharmonie Luxembourg. "The Sound Explorers" premiered in 2024 at the Internationale Barocktage Melk (Austria).