Echoes Festival: La Guirlande
The Spanish Baroque ensemble, La Guirlande, makes their UK debut at London's newest classical music venue, Unit 24, with a virtuosic programme of Spanish 18th-century works. The cosmopolitan zeitgeist of the Enlightenment compelled aristocrats, intellectuals, and artists to travel freely across Europe, giving rise to the figure of the touring virtuoso. These musicians exploited the rise of the public concert phenomenon, spending part of the season touring different cities performing their own music. Whilst Spain is not considered one of Europe's principal 18th-century music centres, it was not lacking in illustrious virtuosi: the oboist brothers Josep and Joan Baptista Pla; the violinist Joaquín Nicolás Ximénez Brufal; the flautist Felipe Lluch; the cellist Giacomo Facco, and the organist Joan Cabanilles all enjoyed international touring careers. London was an important post on the European concert circuit and thus played a crucial part in promoting the careers of these Spanish composer-performers. This delightful programme shines an important light on the close historical cultural relations between Spain and Great Britain at a time when Europe was musically united and musicians were able to easily cross borders. A special opportunity to enjoy the music of Spanish composers rarely heard here since their original presentations in the 18th century! Since their foundation in 2016, La Guirlande have established a reputation as one of the leading and most versatile ensembles specialising in historically informed performance of 18th and 19th century music where the flute plays a central role. The use of original period instruments or their replicas, as well as thorough historical research on performance practices underpin La Guirlande’s main purpose: to achieve a performance of the repertoire as near to the original idea of each composer as possible. La Guirlande is formed by renowned musicians in the field of historically-informed performance, all graduates of Europe's pre-eminent schools for Early Music and performers in Europe's top ensembles and orchestras. La Guirlande take their name from the iconic Apollonian laurel wreath, symbolising wisdom, honour and achievement. Programme: La Guirlande Ensemble