Thursday, October 29, 2009

Old Swedish Music has been performed in Moscow and Poltava

Mid October Moscow International Performing Arts Center and International "Antiquarium" festival presented a joint Russian-Swedish project timed to the 300th Anniversary of Poltava battle. Sweden-based outfit Laude Novella
http://www.laudenovella.com/
and Novosibirsk group Insula Magica
http://www.korni-i-krona.ru/executors/insula/
presented an "Echo of Poltava" project based on the unique musical and historical material - pieces from Tobolsk manuscript authored by Great Northern war prisoner, composer and oboe player Gustav Blidström. After 12 years of exile in Tobolsk on Siberia, he came back to Sweden, to his native town Scara where, 300 years later, his musical book was found. Besides Blidström´s music - marches, polonaises and menuets - the "Echo of Poltava" programme features Russian 18th century chants from the time of Peter the Great, Russian church music, Swedish songs about the Northern War and "unruly" Russians and Swedish traditional folk music of the 17th century. Musical confrontation ended peacefully, with "bar" and love cantatas and a 1721 cantata "For the Peace Treaty Between Russia and Sweden" by G. Lindemann (Sweden). The programme is to be performed in historical costumes and accompanied by detailed comments. A unique set of historical instrumets is involved into the performance. "Echo of Poltava" is filled with authentic historical dances by Diana Scrivener (UK) - the world-wide known expert and teacher in choreography and early dance interpretation, who worked also for a number of acclaimed movies including the BAFTA and Oscar-winning "Elizabeth". On October 23rd Swedish and Russian groups performed their programme in the Museum of the Battle of Poltava.