Á þriðjudagstónleikum í Listasafni Sigurjóns 29. júní kl. 20:30 flytur sænski tónlistarhópurinn Musica Humana tónlist frá endurreisnartímanum á þeirra tíma hljóðfæri. Hér eru á ferð Annette Taranto messósópran, Björg Ollén flautuleikari og Sven Åberg sem leikur á lútu og vihuelu. Hópurinn er í miklum metum í Svíþjóð og hefur haldið tónleika um víða veröld.

Á Íslandi halda þremenningarnir einnig tónleikar á Seyðisfirði, Höfn í Hornafirði og í Vestmannaeyjum.

Annette Taranto messósópran hlaut menntun sína í Svíþjóð, í Miami og hjá Susanna Rigacci í Flórens á Ítalíu. Hún nam barokksöng og túlkun í Bremen og víðar um Evrópu og leiklist, Commedia dell'Arte og dansnám stundaði hún hjá John_Bertil Lundén, Rolf Hepp og Eleonora Fuser. Hún hefur hlotið fjölda viðurkenninga, meðal annars Menningarverðlaun Uppsalaborgar, og tekið þátt í helstu tónlistarhátíðum Svíþjóðar. Annette Taranto syngur oft með helstu barokktónlistarfólki Svíþjóðar, hefur tekið þátt í klassískum óperuflutningi og hefur haldið tónleika í Skandínavíu, Frakklandi, Póllandi, Bandaríkjunum og á Ítalíu.

Björg Ollén flautuleikari hefur lagt sérstaka rækt við flautuna og þróun þess hljóðfæris á tímabilinu 1500 – 1800. Frá 1986 hefur hún verið félagi í Drottningholm barokksveitinni sem hefur gefið út marga hljómdiska. Hún kennir við Konunglega sænska tónlistarháskólann í Stokkhólmi.

Sven Åberg er mjög þekktur lútuleikari og einhver fjölhæfasti tónlistarmaður Svía. Hann hefur í mörg ár verið í fararbroddi við flutning barokktónlistar og er mikils metinn sem kennari, einleikari og kammerhljóðfæraleikari. Hann leikur að staðaldri med Drottningholm barokksveitinni, Barockorkestern, Stokkhólm barokksveitinni og Hljómsveit konunglega leikhússins. Auk þess að vera framúrskarandi túlkandi barokktónlistar leikur Sven Åberg einnig sænska alþýðutónlist, argentíska tangótónlist og sígilda samtímatónlist og hann hefur sérstakan áhuga á að nota fyrri tíma hljóðfæri við flutning nútímatónlistar. Sven Åberg hefur haldið tónleika víða í Evrópu og í Bandaríkjunum og gefið út fjölda hljómdiska.

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The Swedish ensemble Musica Humana; Annette Taranto, mezzosoprano, Björg Ollén, transverse flute and Sven Åberg, lute and vihuela. Renaissance Music performed on original instruments.

Musica Humana
“Io son l’ocel che con le debil ali mi sforzo di salir al bel pianeta” (anon frottole)
“I’m a bird,trying to reach the higher spheres, on weak wings”

During the renaissance the common thought was that “Musica Instrumentalis”- the music of the instruments and the human voice, was a reflection of the movements of the human mind; “Musica Humana”. These in turn resonated the harmony floating through the universe - “Musica Mundana”. The attempt for the musicians was, togehter with the listeners, to come closer to this harmony.
In the beginning of the 16th century there was a rich tradition of strophic songs in Italy; frottole. This was also a flourishing time for the renaissance lute. In France the publisher Pierre Attaignant printed large collections of chansons and lutemusic by the great composers of the day. A little later during the same century the vihuela, an instrument closely related to the renaissance lute, had its’ golden age in Spain. In the vihuela-books there are also many songs.
All of this music gives a lively image of the diverse aspects of the human mind - for us to explore...

Annette Taranto is educated in Sweden, and at the Academy of Music, Miami. She has further studied baroque singing and interpretation with Susanna Rigacci, Jill Feldman and Richard Gwilt. She has studied drama, baroque drama, Commedia dell’Arte and dancing with John-Bertil Lundén, Rolf Hepp and Eleonora Fuser.

She has received grants from the Swedish State Fine Arts Border, Arvid Brieand’s music fund, the Culture Prize from the city of Uppsala as well as the Culture fund of the Uppsala Chamber of Commerse. She’s mainly devoted to chamber music.

She has been Artist in Residence at the Fine Arts series at Krusenbergs Herrgård (Uppsala). There she has done musical and historical potraits together with cultural scolars, historians and writers. She has toured extensively in Italy and France with programs portraying Emil Sjögren (20th cent.), JG Naumann (18th cent) and with a program inspired by Farinelli. Her excellent performances has also taken her to Sri Lanka where she has toured with the symphony orchestra of Colombo and done concerts with early French and Italian music. Spring of 2002 she toured the USA and Scandinavia together with lutenist Sven Åberg and viol-player Joelle Morton with a musical program around Swedish Queen Kristina. Summer of 2002 she gave recitals at several of the most famous chamber music festivals in Sweden.2003 she toured Italy and Poland and was also engaged as alto soloist in several oratorio productions in Sweden.

Annette cooperates regularly with the foremost baroque musicsians in Sweden, and with the pianists Ingrid Lindgren and Emma Gilljam.

On stage Annette has performed Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and 3rd Lady (the Magic Flute) at Läckö Castle Opera, Nyköpingshus’ och Mariestad’s City Theatres. She has also performed the title role in Carmen in a praised version in Uppsala and has been in several baroque opera productions.

Furthermore Annette performes free improvisations with for example Anders Åstrand, percussion.

Annette’s musical interpretations have been described as intimate, inspired and well thought through.

annette.taranto@chello.se

Press

“A lovely, resonant sound and enthusiastic expression! Excellent and fascinating acting..A warm, playful and sensual voice timbre” N. Blixt, UppsalaNyaTidning, Sweden, 2001

“A voice; exactly balanced, a natural harmonious motion” C.Muller, The Island, Sri Lanka, 2001

”The tense interplay of metric drive against rhythmically free, rethorical flourish is the key in this music. Now it moves ahead gracefully in an almost dancelike motion; now it vamps to let a character make a speech. Taranto made the distinction clear and threw herself convincingly into the various characters. Her voice is earthy and substantial.” Tom Strini, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel feb 2002

”Annette sang according to baroque practise, that is with frases almost free of vibrato and with rich and noble ornamentation… is an intelligent singer, conscious of and clear about the diverse styles in early music... Her voice is somtimes light as air and sometimes has a deep, meditative timbre.” Ladis Muller, Smalandsposten, april 2002

”The singing was on the graceful side with straight and long lines and clear vocals. This is how good it gets. AT sang about the birds loning for higher spheres – beautifully so!” March 2003, Fride Jansson, Nyköpingsposten

”It turned out to be an uncomparably beautiful, musically sensual evening with Italian, French and Spanish music of the 16th cent...the feeling of artistiry and stage-presence created a strong contact between the audience and the stage...Annette Taranto with her beautiful alto owns a flexibel instrument and used her broad registaer fully, comfortable also in soprano-range, and mastered with perfection coloratura-parts..Her relaxed singing in the Italian repertory was a wonderful example of her talent.” Lennart Wikström, Bohusläningen, 8/3 2004

Björg Ollén, traverso flautist and recorder player from Stockholm. Björg is specialized in the early flute and it´s development from the 1600 – 1900th century.
Björg is member of the Drottningholm Barockensemble since 1986, with whom she has both toured and produced many records. She is often hired as a flautist in ensembles performing early music. Björg Ollén teaches at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm. At the Institute of teaching she instructs in methodology and at the Institute of early music she teaches the traverso flute.

Sven Åberg is a reknowned lutenist and one of Swedens most versatile musicians. Sven has for several years been a driving force in the Swedish baroque music world. He teaches lute and chamber music at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. He is a sought-after continuo player and works regularly with groups such as the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble, Barockorkestern, Stockholm Baroque Orchestra and the Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra.Roy Goodman, Christophe Rousset, Andrew Manze and Andrew Parrott are some of the conductors he has worked with.

Sven Åberg is often mentioned in the context of chamber music. He has had highly-praised solo concerts as well as well as group performances with singers and other instrumentalists (see program descriptions) and has been the initiator of many interesting chamber music projects. He often plays at the most famous Swedish festivals like the Båstad chamber music festival, “Musik vid Siljan”, and the “Music at Castles and Manors” series in Södermanland.

Moreover Sven has toured in Sri Lanka, Ireland, Italy, England, Germany, Spain, Russia, and USA. During 2002 he toured USA with a program centered around the Swedish Queen Christina and played contemporary music at the jazz festival in Berlin and at the Odense Folk Music Festival in Denmark.

Besides his early music activities he has a repertory of Swedish folk music, Argentine Tango and contemporary classical music. The main folk music project is the duo ”Månsson & Åberg” that has toured all around Sweden as well as abroad. They have recorded two critically acclaimed records (“Oknytt” and “Spår”) and have caught much attention with their innovative soundscapes for lutes and flutes. He plays tango in the group Tango Libre. Sven has played contemporary music in the groups Kammarensemblen, Avanti and Ensemble Son. He is especially interested in using the qualities of early instruments in new contexts.

But his main focus is the spectrum of plucked instruments from renaissance and baroque, like the renaissance lute, baroque lute, baroque guitar and theorbo, He has a strong relationship to the music from these periods which contributes to personal and emotionally charged interpretations. You will find his recordings on these labels; EAR, Prophone, Daphne, Proprius, Alice, Musica Sveciæ, Caprice, BIS and Swedish Society Discophil.