Amarcord remembers Love, Murder and four centuries of song
“Amarcord means ‘I remember’. We remember our childhood, we remember the traditions and the history the music comes from. And other things.” says Amarcord, bass singer, Holger Krause
The five voices of Amarcord represent the lower registers only and share a rich heritage. They met when they were choirboys at St Thomas’ Church, in Leipzig, where Johann Sebastian Bach served as cantor, where he is now buried and where his presence continues musically, physically and spiritually. “We were singing right beside his grave” remembers bass Holger Krause. The ensemble attributes much of its success, and its sound to Bach, layered with the influences of others to whom Leipzig was also home – Mendelssohn, Schumann, and the great Gewandhaus Orchestra.
Amarcord is said to have a style that is like fusing the Backstreet Boys and an East German Lutheran boys’ choir. The ensemble was formed in 1992 when the singers were still at school. They evolved as East Germany became integrated into the west. They saw themselves as ambassadors for the potential within East Germany. As bass Daniel Knauft puts it, “we could show that East Germans could do something good”.
Through the years, each member has explored other areas of study whilst simultaneously developing their and vocal ensemble skills. For Tenor Wolfram Lattke “it was a kind of slow growing, and it gave us an opportunity to figure out very well, very carefully, is it the right thing we want to do?” Krause underscores the importance to the group of individual development: “We’re a group with many interests, gifts and talents and the best thing is that these all refresh our minds and our work.”
In Sydney, Amarcord will present two programmes. The first, (July 21st) which they have called The Singing Club – Four Centuries of Song opens with works by 16th composers, amongst them, Orlando di Lasso, Gesualdo and Hassler, then moving through the European Romantics, Grieg, Dvorak, Schubert, Elgar and Schumann and ending with a song cycle by 20th century French composer Jean Cras and a selection of folk songs.
The second concert (July 30th) is called Tales of Love and Murder presents a parallel selection of 16th century works by Orlando di Lasso, Josquin des Prez, Gombert and Jannequin, followed by the songs of Poulenc, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Saint-Saens, and a collection of folk-songs.
Read the review of Amarcord’s Perth concert:
Amarcord
Wolfram Lattke, tenor
Martin Lattke, tenor
Frank Ozimek, baritone
Daniel Knauft, bass
Holger Krause, bass
Tickets: visit www.cityrecitalhall.com or call (02) 8256 2222
