Romance at Blåflat Gard
The traditional farmstead, surrounded by lush cultivated land and views of mountains and open spaces, provides a very special setting for the evening's music. Here, in rooms steeped in history and tranquility, the sounds of Romanticism are brought to life. The atmosphere at Blåflat makes it easy to understand why nature was such a powerful source of inspiration for 19th-century composers – and it is precisely this connection between landscape, emotions, and music that characterizes tonight's program.
Throughout the 19th century, composers became increasingly carried away by grand emotions, psychology, love, and, not least, the forces of nature. This concert takes us into the realm of Romanticism, from the lyrical and heartfelt to the virtuosic and grandiose.
Richard Strauss had a close connection to the horn; his father was a solo horn player in Munich, and Strauss's fondness for the instrument is easy to hear. Andante for horn and piano, written in 1888 when he was only 24 years old, is a youthful work with a mature sound – filled with warm melodies and delicate elegance.
César Franck's Sonata in A major is today considered one of the major works of chamber music. It was originally written for violin, but the cello version has gradually gained an equally central place – perhaps because the cello highlights the work's soft, singable qualities. Tonight, we will hear Franz Kraggerud and Christian Ihle Hadland bring out the sonata's passion and intensity.
Mendelssohn is a key Romantic composer, even though he has one foot firmly planted in Classicism. The poetic second movement of Piano Trio No. 1 is among his most beloved movements – a small space of sincerity and clarity. Here, Franz and Christian are joined by Henning Kraggerud, and together they give us one of Mendelssohn's finest chamber music moments.
Frédéric Chopin was a great innovator of the piano. Almost his entire output was written for the piano, and in his mazurkas he combines Polish dance roots with a new, poetic piano style that continues to fascinate pianists around the world.
In Grieg's The Fisher Girl, written to lyrics by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, we meet Petra – the lively and headstrong girl from a small village in Western Norway. Through four songs, we follow her from youthful turmoil and promises of love, via a journey of self-discovery in Bergen, until she finally stands on stage in Christiania and declares: “Thank you for your advice, but I will launch my boat into the roar of the waves...” This is Grieg at his most narrative, warm, and lyrical.
The concert concludes with a musical bridge spanning more than 300 years: Johan Halvorsen's fantasia on Handel's Passacaglia. Here, the strict form of the Baroque and the virtuosity of Romanticism merge in a dazzling work. Henning Kraggerud has drawn further inspiration (from Handel's Passacaille) and tailored a version for violin and cello for father and son.
We look forward to hearing these two tell us more about this process when we meet them at the beautiful Blåflat Gard.
Practical information:
- Blåflat Gard will be serving food from 11.00.
- The doors to the barn will open 30 minutes before the event begins
- Parking is available at Blåflat Gard
Photo: Fredrik Holte Breien
