“No one concert this group performs is conventional… One cannot deny PHOENIX’s superb musicianship in whatever it tackles. Those of us looking for first class performance will never be disappointed by PHOENIX. It has set new standards for Early Music performance in Israel.” Go Jerusalem
"Ensemble PHOENIX: for the ones looking for baroque programs with originality and quality." Yedioth Aharonoth
CHIAROSCURO: Haydn & Boccherini
On period instruments, quintets by the two composers, very often compared by their contemporaries in contrasting terms as representing different compositional tendencies and aesthetic worlds.
With Moshe Aron Epstein (classical flute), Ya’akov Rubinstein & Sharon Cohen (violins), Rachel Ringelstein (viola) and Myrna Herzog (cello).
As said Jean-Baptiste Cartier, the famous violin master: “If God wanted to speak to men through music, He would do it with the works of Haydn, but if He himself wished to listen to music, He would choose Boccherini”.
Following the biblical apocryphal book of Enoch, LA CADUTA DELL' ANGELI depicts the rebellion of angels led by Lucifer, their defeat by Archangel Michael and his army of good angels, and their fall into the abyss. Choirs of demons and angels opposing each other, exuberant dances and poignant chromaticism make this a colorful work and a great entertainment. The program is complemented by a Neapolitan cantata by Cristofaro Caresana on the same theme, and instrumental music by Pietro Andrea Ziani, Maurizio Cazzati, Giovanni Battista Vitali and Bernardo Storace..
"First impression: "Wow!"... an exciting encounter with the oratorio... the work is particularly nice and captivating at once, to say the least...."HaAretz
Was Salieri really this mediocre composer depicted in the film Amadeus?
If so, why was Salieri worshipped all over Europe as a great composer?
Hear vocal and instrumental music by Mozart and Salieri – and participate in a quiz: let's see if you can really tell who wrote what...
Soloists: Vittoria Giacobazzi (Italy - soprano), Genevieve Blanchard (classical flute), Gili Rinot (classical clarinet). Conductor: Myrna Herzog
Arcangelo Corelli's music made a true revolution in the European musical world, revealing new possibilities and prompting composers to explore the genres of continuo sonata, trio-sonata and concerto grosso. Our program is a dialogue between Corelli and the succeeding generation of European composers marked by his music.
"If music can be immortal, Corelli’s consorts will be so” - Roger North, 1710
With Lilia Slavny (Holland) and Yaakov Rubinstein (baroque violins), Marina Minkin (harpsichord) and Myrna Herzog (viola da gamba).
Marking the inauguration of David Shemer’s grand fortepiano, Ensemble PHOENIX on period instruments presents late fortepiano trios by three composers who had a personal connection: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn and Stephen Storace. It is a pleasant surprise to hear the nearly unknown Storace trios, side by side with two of the most beloved trios by Mozart (KV 542) and Haydn (the f# minor trio) - here in a Beethovenesque phase. With David Shemer (grand fortepiano), Lilia Slavny ( violin - Holland) and Myrna Herzog (cello).
PASSION & MADNESS is a musical theatre play written by Myrna Herzog, featuring music and texts by English 17th century composers and playwrights.
With countertenor and actor Alexander Simpson (U.K.), Tali Goldberg and Rachel Ringelstein (baroque violins), Marina Minkin (harpsichord) and Myrna Herzog (viola da gamba ). “One of the current season’s most exciting and unique concerts … a new and inspiring program, one stamped with PHOENIX Ensemble’s signature high quality performance. Not to be missed." Pamela Hickman
Mozart: the clarinet quintet on period instruments
Hear Mozart's quintessential quintet for clarinet and strings LIVE, performed on the instruments intended by Mozart! Gili Rinot, a virtuoso on historical clarinets, is in charge of the wonderful basset-clarinet, dialoguing with Matan Dagan and Tali Goldberg (violins), Rachel Ringelstein (viola) and Myrna Herzog (cello). Complementing the program, another clarinet quintet by Andreas Romberg and Haydn's dramatic quartet in dm op. 42.
"Clearly delighted by the evening’s program, the festival audience sensed it was in the hands of five outstanding musicians." Pamela Hickman
The program amazed with its enormous diversity. Besides a little known Iberian repertoire, it included also pieces from the Sephardi tradition and, most surprisingly, songs of the Portuguese Crypto-Jews (i.e. Maranos) recorded at their community in Belmonte, Portugal, and transcribed by Herzog... Far from being monotonous, this music is versatile both in style and emotional expression. Much of it is highly romantic, intensely emotional, sometimes sorrowful, sometimes lyric, and sometimes even humorous.The ensemble's teamwork was perfect, and their command of the various tricky instruments was thoroughly professional.
