Concert series PERSONALLY

One of the best recorder players of the world, Erik Bosgraaf from the Netherlands, has created an exquisite program throughout the eras together with harpsichord player Ieva Saliete. It will feature works by rarely performed Italian, Spanish, and Dutch masters, opuses by late German baroque geniuses Telemann and Bach, as well as brief expeditions of the historical instruments into contemporary music.

It will bring fresh colors into the sound of the recorder and harpsichord, and both musicians will show their skill as solo performers. Ieva Saliete will perform the fantastically captivating ‘Continuum’ for the harpsichord by György Ligeti, whose centenary is celebrated this year, as well as the pensive ‘Thread’ by Matīss Čudars, which was premiered in the spring of 2023 in the USA and will finally make it to Latvia. 

 ‘Inside of you is an impulse. It whispers in your ear and tells you what to do. Outside of you is a world chasing something. It whispers, speaks, even yells about what it wants you to do for it. Sometimes, it is so loud that it becomes hard to hear your impulse. And yet, it is always there and reminds you of itself when it’s needed. Inspired by William Stafford’s poem ‘The Way It Is’, this piece is about the impulse, or the thread, which is like a fine, fragile string holding together a person’s individual, unique life,’ Čudars describes his original piece.

Erik Bosgraaf will offer contemporarily enticing recorder solos in his skillful interpretations as he performs pieces by Italian hedonist Luciano Berio and Dutch composer Willem Jeths.

Erik Bosgraaf is a recorder player and musicologist, a globally praised and nationally awarded solo performer and chamber musician, one of the greatest masters of the recorder in the world. He feels at ease with both early and modern music – he improvises, plays jazz, uses electronics and collaborates with other arts, such as the cinema. He has collaborated with symphony orchestras all around the globe as a soloist and conductor. He is a collector of recorders and usually travels with at least 10 instruments, and he loves swimming in the Latvian sea. 

Harpsichord player Ieva Saliete is a versatile musician whose interests include medieval music for harpsichord, hammer piano, and the challenges of modern music. A bright soloist and a sensitive chamber music partner, who feels equally convincing both in solo parts and basso continuo. Performs in Europe's largest concert halls, collaborating with collectives such as Freiburger Barockorchester, Kammerorchester Basel and soloists Erik Bosgraaf, Hana Blažikova, Romina Lischka, Cecilia Bartoli, Sergio Azollini, Dorothee Oberlinger, Nuria Rial, etc. Received the Grand Music Award 2017 ‘For outstanding work in a ensemble’, the Latgale Culture Award of the Year Boņuks for the songbook ‘Zalta Puče’ (2018) and the prestigious German music industry recording award Opus Klassik (Echo Klassik) as part of ‘Les Passions de l'Ame’ for CD ‘Variety’ (2020).

As with all concerts of the series Personally, the audience will be able to meet the musicians after the concert to enjoy informal conversations about their creative paths, sources of inspiration, and challenges, in the 2nd floor gallery. Post-performance conversations are supported by the retail chain “SPAR Latvija”.

Participants:

Erik Bosgraaf, recorder

Ieva Saliete, harpsichord