Salish Sea Early Music Festival presents The 18th-Century Harpsichord in Spain with Irene Roldan

The Salish Sea Early Music Festival is honored to feature Irene Roldàn from Spain, one of Europe’s prominent young prize-winning harpsichordists, who will perform The 18th-Century Harpsichord in Spain. Ms. Roldàn, winner of the prestigious Bach Prize at the XXXIII. International Bach Competition in Leipzig, Germany, has performed this program at major early music festivals in Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and around Europe. This performance on July 9 will be her first appearance in the United States. This unique program will include Sonatas, Sinfonias, Preludios and Ricercares for solo harpsichord by Sebastián de Albero (1722-1756), Antonio Soler (1729-1783), José de Nebra (1702-1768), Félix Máximo López (1742-1821), and from Portugal, Carlos Seixas (1704-1742). The listener will step into the heart of 18th-century Iberia, where the vibrant court of Madrid stood as a focal point for the flourishing of rich keyboard music. Domenico Scarlatti, with his masterful keyboard sonatas, cast a considerable shadow over contemporaneous composers unfairly labeled as mere imitators. Sebastian de Albero, Jose de Nebra, and the Portuguese Carlos Seixas forged unique voices while incorporating a wide range of influences into their work, from the Spanish Golden Age and Iberian folklore to Italian virtuosity. Hidden gems, like Nebra's symphonies, await discovery. As Scarlatti's sonatas remain iconic, the listener will delve into the overlooked brilliance of these composers, poised for a deserved spotlight in the keyboard repertoire. Irene Roldàn’s participation in these performances has been made possible with help from the Honorary Consulate of Spain in Seattle, and from the Programme for the Internationalisation of Spanish Culture (PICE) of Acción Cultural Española (AC/E), which seeks to promote Spanish culture through the inclusion of Spanish artists and creators residing in Spain in the programming of cultural events outside of Spain. About Irene Roldán: Award-winning harpsichordist Irene Roldán was born in southern Spain in 1997. Described by the press as one of the most prominent Spanish harpsichordists on the international scene (ABC Sevilla), Irene currently lives and works in Basel, Switzerland. She gained international recognition in 2021, when she won first prize, never previously awarded in this competition, as well as the audience prize at the III. International Harpsichord Competition «Città di Milano». In the same year, her ensemble Flor Galante secured the first prize at the IV. International Bach Competition in Berlin. One year later, Irene was honored with the prestigious Bach Prize and an additional special award at the XXXIII. International Bach Competition held in Leipzig, Germany. Additional program information: Throughout the first half of the eighteenth century, the Royal Chapel in Madrid served as a professional destination for several prominent composers, fostering a diverse array of musical styles. The lingering echoes of the Spanish Golden Age coexisted with the influence of Italian musicians within the court. Additional elements, spanning from the depths of traditional folklore to the nuances of the French style, contributed to create a distinctive Spanish musical language, one that also found expression in the realm of keyboard music. Amongst the composers who cultivated keyboard genres in eighteenth-century Spain, the figure of the Neapolitan Domenico Scarlatti unquestionably stands out. The musical richness and avant-garde technique of his keyboard sonatas, as well as his close affiliation with the Spanish royal family, ensured him a wide network of influence and popularity that has continued to this day. Nevertheless, Scarlatti's impact in the Iberian Peninsula has often eclipsed the achievements of other contemporaneous composers, often unfairly categorized as mere imitators. The truth is that each of these musicians, while undoubtedly influenced by the Neapolitan master, forged a unique and personal keyboard language which, in a reciprocal manner, might have left their mark on Scarlatti himself. The richness and merit of the musical production of these composers, left by history in the shadow of Scarlatti, embraces them in a more prominent position in the repertoire for keyboard instruments.

Event Links

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3137723-0

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