Il Gardellino

The Flemish baroque ensemble Il Gardellino this season continues its voyage of discovery of music by Bach's contemporaries. Last year, Jan Dismas Zelenka was the subject, this season Johann Friedrich Fasch is put under the spotlight. Fasch was a famous German composer in his time. He enjoyed as much esteem as Bach and Telemann. The major portion of his orchestral work was written for the leading orchestra of the day, the court chapel of the Catholic church in Dresden. It was there that he acquired the Italian composition style, a form where the concerto grosso alternates groups of solo instruments with the orchestra. By including two of Handel's most famous concerti grossi in the programme, you get a magnificent insight into both the similarities and the differences between these two great masters. This programme typifies the working style Il Gardellino have embraced since their early beginnings. Under the baton of the ever-inspiring leadership of the oboist Marcel Ponseele, and with flautist Jan de Winne, we are once again thrilled by their innovative programming and their pursuit of musical excellence.