Handel At
The Piano
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I started out clicking strategically… and by the end was just wildly clicking and dancing in my chair.
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Wedding, 2012.
Playing Handel for the German Chancellor
I am privileged to be invited by the Rector Magnificus of Radboud University Nijmegen to perform at the Honorary Doctorate Ceremony of Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany on 23 May.
Ms. Merkel will receive an Honorary Doctorate for her contribution to international civil society, her commitment to Europe and her recognition of the importance of science.
A day later, I will be playing at the Honorary Doctorate Ceremony of Robbert Dijkgraaf, Director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, USA, Professor Frances Ashcroft and Professor Robert Edward Freeman.
For Ms Merkel, I will play the Chaconne by her countryman Handel. This is going to be exciting!
Photo: Armin Linnartz
This year it is exactly 300 years ago that the Treaty of Utrecht was signed. It marked the end of a long period of war in Europe and most importantly, it was the first time that the negotiating table won it over the battle field. The treaty resembles in many ways our modern EU. And it was Handel who wrote music to celebrate this treaty: he composed the beautiful Utrecht Te Deum and The Utrecht Jubilate. This fact is one of several you can read in my CD booklet.
And by the way, do you know why the organisation of the peace treaty chose Utrecht (my birth town) to sign these papers? Because Utrecht was the town with the best parking possibilities for the huge amount of carriages from the diplomats!
London Calling
Handel’s music was initially not meant to be published. He wrote it for his students mainly, for himself maybe. So when releasing my album in the UK, I found it interesting to play concerts in private homes. We asked people if they knew people who would like to host such a concert; everybody should enjoy Handel’s keyboard music!
So here I come: May 10-17, I will play five private concerts, two public concerts and do my Talk & Recital at a consultancy firm – all in London. Check my agenda for details and have a look at a private concert I did at my own home.
Tedx Amsterdam – A state of wonder
I was offered a whole new platform to talk about how intense first reactions to music can be – in my case a reaction to the music of Handel. Here is my talk at TEDx Amsterdam 2012. It is called ‘A State of Wonder’ and it includes our new video!
In this talk I mention that I have done a lot of children’s concerts in The Netherlands. If you want to know more on the subject, please go to Classic Express. Dutch primary schools and special schools can book concerts and the ‘concert hall’ is brought right up to their doorstep!
An interview in Luister, the leading Dutch classical music magazine, turned out to be a nice moment in time to look back. Upon re-reading, I realise again how many things have developed recently. I am certainly having a great time!
No time to watch the whole TEDx Amsterdam talk? Here is just the featured new movie!
Out now
I am excited to announce that Sony Classical has started to support me with Handel At The Piano. When I made the recording in January 2012, I had no label in mind yet. It is now released on CD, available on iTunes and for online order at bol.com!
Texts, photography and design of the CD have been my own responsability, and a great group of collaborators has worked on it intensively. With Marc van der Heijde – part of the Handel Team – as art director, everything alignes with the initial idea of what I would like to say about Handel. I am very happy with the overall result and I am really looking forward playing Handel everywhere I can.
Enjoy the short video Erwan van Buuren made about the recording sessions!
“A completely natural expressiveness”
[…] In regard to pulse, ornament and baroque rhetoric, Van den Bercken stands her own ground. It is truly Handel. And it is truly piano at the same time. Dynamic nuances and contrasts, not possible on the harpsichord, acquire a completely natural expressiveness under the hands of Van den Bercken. Whoever succeeds in uniting two such different worlds may come close to the highest attainable. This is great musicianship.
CD review: *****
Telegraaf, Thiemo Wind,
16 November 2012
“A surprisingly light and clear toucher”
[…] Playful and unaffected […] with an authentic love of this pianist for this music. To be heard in every note, no matter how fast […] a surprisingly light and clear toucher. It is a pleasure to quietly enjoy happiness while listening to this recording.
CD review: *****
Trouw, Peter van der Lint,
16 November 2012
