Ensemble PHOENIX

Coming concerts

“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

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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”.

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The Fall of the Angels

Michael and Satan by Guido Reni c. 1636

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

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Mozart & Salieri

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

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Corelli & Followers

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).

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Late Fortepiano Trios

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), Rachel Ringelstein ( violin - Holland) and Myrna Herzog (cello).

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Passion and Madness

Passion AdZtrmt

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

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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

Nabucco

nabucco square

"I listened to the music only, and how was I enchanted! The two most notable features, in my opinion, in Falvetti: he had a wonderful ability to create melodies as if they grow on trees and one should only pick, and had a sense of proportion. The singing was delightful, led by Einat Aronstein and Guy Pelc. We owe thanks for the introduction to Falvetti to PHOENIX‘s musical director Myrna Herzog, who was the conductor. The pleasure bestowed by this piece of Falvetti, justifies a quote from Myrna Herzog in the program. "To paraphrase Goethe," she writes, "according to whom “to see Italy without seeing Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all”, one could say that without knowing Sicilian music, one cannot have an understanding of Italian music. Sicilian culture, which embraced the many civilizations which ruled successively over the isle, can certainly be felt in the music." Hagai Hitron, HaAretz

"This was an auspicious, ground-breaking event in the history of performance of Italian Baroque music. Michelangelo Falvetti’s “Il Dialogo del Nabucco” is an extraordinary work, its musical canvas as rich instrumentally as it is vocally, one of both high drama and personal expression. Myrna Herzog’s deep enquiry into the work and her exhilarating direction of it were meticulous and uplifting, resulting in Baroque performance of the highest order. Deeply moved, the audience showed its enthusiasm in lengthy applause, shouts and whistles". Pamela Hickman's Concert Critique Blog

"The reaction of the audience leaving the concert was: 'Wow!! One of the best and most interesting concerts in the history of the festival'!" Gershon Cohen, director of the Abu Gosh Festival

“Dear Myrna,
We just loved your performance of Falvetti's Nabucco, today at Haifa. So beautifully rendered, so joyous and full of hope - for not only was the music delightful but the message is just as relevant today as ever. The rich orchestral backing and the beautiful voices were enchanting. I felt great pride that most of the artists and soloists were young Israeli talent. We try to get to as many of your concerts that reach Haifa as possible. Dear Myrna - I can only wish you the continued enthusiasm, passion and well being from every point of view to keep inspiring us with your varied and exciting musical programs. Thank you!” Coral Navon — feeling inspired. (facebook posting on the ensemble's page)

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Nabucco