“I just like to be in Latvia. But there are some things that just can’t be explained! Why is there a click between the ensemble and me? Or Latvia and me? I don’t know why. It’s just nice to be here. For example, your beach is endless! The best is what I call a dessert: after running there is a swim in the sea and the most important thing after that is a cold beet soup, “in an interview with LR3” Klasika “reveals Erik Bosgraaf, who is recognized in the world as the most virtuoso recorder player. On August 1, at 7 pm in the Small Guild, he will sing the Riga Historical Music and Dance Festival together with the baroque orchestra “Collegium Musicum Riga”.
Born in the Netherlands in 1980 but now living in Cologne, Bosgraph began his vivid musical career as a rock band member and oboist. He is convinced that the genre is not important for good music, and he feels equally free in both early and modern music, as well as composing new works, including some custom concerts using modern multimedia. By the way, he also obtained a master’s degree in musicology from Utrecht University.
He is really a frequent guest in Latvia, and the last time we heard him at the early music festival “Vivat Curlandia”!
Signe Lagzdiņa: How was your time in Bauska and how are you doing in Riga now?
Ēriks Bosgrāfs: The time spent in Bauska was great … It is one of the privileges of early music performers – we often have concerts in historically significant places. The name of the concert in Bauska was “Anachronisms”, because on the one hand, playing old music is a bit strange now, and one might say that all the music played is new, because we offer it now. With this idea, we created improvisation with electronics. The goal was to create music that creates a sense of a state that is short before falling asleep. It can be called falling asleep, falling asleep when you are not really awake or completely asleep. All kinds of magic can happen in this state. You can imagine – Bauska Castle, darkness, torch lights – a magical atmosphere … In my opinion, with this mood you can imagine the meaning of live music in the Middle Ages – without recordings, television… Live music certainly had a strong impression on them.
In Riga we will perform in the Small Guild, and you could say that I am like a pirate in this program, because none of these compositions we will play were originally written for recorder – I have stolen everything in the name of art. (laughs)
However, this is also a bit of an anachronism, because at that time music was not written for only one specific instrument at any cost. There are rumors that Vivaldi “Seasons” also played a solo flute during the Baroque, without a full orchestra. During the life of Karl Philip Emmanuel Bach, there were also at least three different versions of the laminator’s concert – cello, harpsichord, flute.
Playing music that is supposedly intended for another instrument gives you the opportunity to recompose this work, which makes the process very creative. For example, if I played a Vivaldi Recorder concert, I wouldn’t change a note – even if it’s uncomfortable, I have to play it that way. On the other hand, if the composition is intended for violin, I can’t realize some technical things – double notes or some jumps that are practically impossible on the recorder. That is why I have to make creative decisions. Of course, make sure that my version doesn’t sound worse, but just different from the original version.
And – I just like to be in Latvia. The thing is, some things just can’t be explained. Why is there a click between the band and me? Or Latvia and me? I do not know why. It’s just nice to be here.
We have begun the rehearsal process and cannot wait to offer this program to our listeners.
Can I ask you to tell the listeners what you already told me when you came to the recording studio – about how you spent this morning…
Yes, another thing I like about Latvia is that this is a barefoot paradise! I am a barefoot runner.
I live in Cologne every day, which is a rather smelly German city. Of course, let’s be honest, there isn’t fresh air everywhere in Riga either, but at least there is one on the sea shore. I remember when we made a recording here last year, no matter how difficult or long the attempt was, I got on the train every morning and went to Jurmala.
And your beach is endless! The best is what I call dessert: after running there is a swim in the sea and – most importantly after that – cold beet soup.
We return to the concert. You could say that you will play real classical music hits. What is your vision for playing such popular music?
Ten years ago, when I was recording a recorder, the orchestra asked me to play “Seasons.” I said no, no, it’s too predictable. Then I did try and – yes, it’s just very, very good music, although played often – but “Hamlets” and other classics are played just as often. [teātrī]! And there is a reason for that. I started working on it, enjoying it and, in my opinion, there are several reasons why the recorder version of “Seasons” is even better than the original for violin … There are only a few bars in the score that are impossible on the recorder. This version gives a new look at this score, it’s like a different view of something popular. For example, how Bolognese pasta in Latvian style.
There is a recording on Youtube where you play Vivaldi’s “Seasons” with orchestra and DJ. What did you mean by that?
Yes, we played the version with a DJ, I have participated in different versions, also with the newly composed “Seasons” between parts.
The DJ at that time played the voices of birds on twelve different soundtracks, including records, and then for a moment we looked at the audience through binoculars. Can you imagine how strange an atmosphere it created? (laughs)
And yet – in the summer we recorded the first part of “Seasons” on a vinyl record, and we didn’t play it at all in the concert – it created a sense of hyperreality. It is a game between what is real and what is not. I really like such possibilities in music. I remember doing improvised interludes at the same time.
I think with what is very familiar, sometimes you can afford to be pretty crazy. This practice has always been in ancient music with variations: the simpler the theme, the crazier the variations, but if the main theme is already complex enough, then the variations will not be.
We also talked about this in an experiment – I call it the topic of one brain cell, Vivaldi. (sings) Stravinsky would say such a terrible composer! (laughs) It’s extreme simplicity, so ingenious. But then in solo episodes he becomes extreme… There is always this strong contrast between the simple everyone and developed solo stages.
What about Karl Philip Emmanuel Bach’s flute concert in a laminator? I know that in the beginning there is a beautiful Fantasy, the concert has wonderful dialogues between the soloist and the orchestra… What would you say to the audience about this concert?
This is a very different style. Karl Philip is like a bridge from the Baroque to Mozart. He was the godson of Teleman. Even the words together – Philip Georg, Karl Philip. Here you can notice the influence of Telemann, but also the Italian simplified everyone. Since Karl Philip has written a lot for harpsichord, in his orchestral music everyone the stages are quite loud, but solo – clean, clear, almost chamber music. In this way he is able to create a very intimate atmosphere. There will be no macho shouts like “look at me, I play loud or very fast”! (laughs) Rather, the focus here is on a person’s individual emotions. Less effect.
Do you know why Karl Philip chose to write this concert for flute instead of recorder?
There were no longer so many good recorders. He has written only a few works for the recorder – the famous trio, for example. We can see that until 1730, the “flute” was always meant as a recorder, but later it was gradually replaced by a cross flute. In my opinion, there are several reasons why the recorder has gradually disappeared. However, the recorder is always present, also in romanticism, but more than a niche instrument. Maybe it was too gentle, quiet, or there weren’t enough musicians to play it at a high level. It is also a mystery. But now it could be said that there has been a revival of the recorder.
I know that recorders usually have many tools. In an interview, you said that you take as many flutes to the concerts as possible, because you also tend to choose the right one at the last second before the performance.u you will play. Vcan you confirm it or am i misunderstood?
You are well prepared!
It’s an art of how many recorders can fit in my hand luggage. (laughs) Depends on size, but about ten can fit.
It’s enough. Admittedly, I have many, many tools and I am already trying to get rid of some…
Why so much?
It’s an obsession … Even one would be enough. But it is so nice that there are many tools. I have it. Sometimes it also depends on the concert hall – I like to try how the instruments sound in the hall, whether the orchestra plays loud or soft, what overtones are formed, whether it is a recording or a live concert – it all affects the choice of instrument.
But it seems to me that I have become a bit extreme – no one needs so many tools …
Of course, there are also different tunings. We have four different tunes available. In addition, I also have all the possible interdimensional tools. I usually have alto (Fa) and soprano (Do) instruments, but I also have La or Sol and Labemol or Re instruments.
Will you change instruments during one piece in a concert? And you decide which instruments you will play at that very moment?
Most likely in the rehearsal. But sometimes I make the final decision during the concert, yes.
By the way, when will your joint album come out with Collegium RIGA?
Oh yes! In August last year, we recorded Bach concerts and other compositions that will be released next autumn. This year, my publishing house wants to release the album “The Best of Erik Bosgrāfs”, a large collection of recordings and triosonatas. So, unfortunately, we still have to wait until the joint performance …
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