Hélène Schmitt, violin
Florence Rousseau, harmonium

Scarcely any composer may be able to elude the influence on his œuvre by the traditional music of the region where he grew up. So one shouldn't wonder if melodies, rhythms and harmonic structures of Celtic origin are to be found in the works of composers who had their home in Brittany, Ireland, Wales and Scottland.
Florence Rousseau and Hélène Schmitt inaugurate the festival by exploring multifaceted tracks and traces in Celtic countries.

For health reasons now: Simon Buser, physharmonica

Dealing with the history and developement of the harmonium you can't omit to look at the design and structure of the early keyboard instruments based on reeds.
Now Simon Buser with his profound knowledge of the predecessors of the harmonium will instead of diseased Joris Verdin in sound and words induct us into the potential of the physharmonica presenting well-informed and with virtuosity two restored instruments of this ancient type.

Dirk Luijmes, harmonium

Looking at (and of course listening to) the trends in new music for the harmonium during the 20th and beginning 21st century from the Dutch point of view you can lift off with Dirk Luijmes on an expedition where you perhaps will meet angels – but this condensation trails burring the musical sky will have nothing to do at all with hymn playing spinsters...

Thomas Laske, baritone
Klaus Langer, reed organ and reading (in German language)

Talking about the relationship between harmonium and literature offers two points of view: On one hand authors used it in their novels and stories as a dramatic element of the plot, on the other hand many composers were inspired to their works by poems, lays or tales.
This afternoon you can listen to both: stories in which the harmonium plays an important role are embedded in richly coloured Lied compositions of which one set will be a debut performance.

Tom Scott, piano
Jonathan Scott, harmonium

Chamber music of the late 19th century frequently combines the piano and the harmonium to an ensemble of nearly orchestral impression. Among a large number of original compositions written for this combination there are highly virtuoso arrangements of symphonic music or operas existing as well, even complemented by pieces the Scott Brothers added to the programme themselves.
Their intoxicating fireworks display will deliver insight into the fascinating era of romanticism.