Lod & 10 accordeons . Edwig Abrath

For the second time in a row, Antwerp begins its classical season with a Sunday full of free concerts. All the festivities take place on Sint Jansplein in the open air. DeSingel are sending out their musicians for an afternoon concert. The day ends with the traditional Sint Jansplein concert by the deFilharmonie. It was on Tuesday 19 September 1995 that 'La Tristeza Complice', a dance and musical theatre production by Alain Platel, Dick Van der Harst, Les Ballets C de la B and Lod, was created in the Red Hall. 14 years to the day, the same ten accordionists will again appear as guests, in the same hall, but this time with only the score. Purcell's music sounds unusually beautiful in Dick van der Harst's setting for accordion and soprano. For his arrangements, van der Harst greedily selected from Purcell's vocal and instrumental oeuvre, adding alien elements and wilful rhythms. He magnifies the detail, allowing modulations free rein and from time to time adds extracts from a folk song or the very well-known 'Circus Renz'. This makes 'Hark!' an occasionally moving cocktail of skilfully-crafted early music and folk tunes. Ideal for a late summer's Sunday afternoon.