Two The Marais Project and Jenny Eriksson

• George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759): Sonata for a Musical Clock:
• 1 Sonata for a Musical Clock - Allegro 00:50
• 2 Sonata for a Musical Clock - Air 01:29
• 3 Sonata for a Musical Clock - Minuet 01:33
• 4 Sonata for a Musical Clock - Jig 01:27
• Jacques Lambert du Buisson (1655 - 1710): Suite in D minor for viola da gamba:
• 5 Suite in D minor for viola da gamba - Prelude 00:55
• 6 Suite in D minor for viola da gamba - Allemande variation 01:47
• 7 Suite in D minor for viola da gamba - Sarabande 01:35
• 8 Suite in D minor for viola da gamba - Courante 01:00
• Johann Anton Lost von Losinthal (1650 - 1721): Pieces for guitar:
• 9 Pieces for guitar - Prelude 00:52
• 10 Pieces for guitar - Aria 01:20
• 11 Pieces for guitar - Gavote 00:54
• Carl Friedrich Abel (1723 - 1787): Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba:
• 12 Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba - Adagio 01:41
• 13 Sonata in G Major for viola da gamba - Minuet 01:22
• Paul Cutlan (b. 1964):
• 14 Spinning Forth - Sarabande 03:39
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791):
• 15 Adagio für Glasharmonika, KV 356 02:38
• Marin Marais (1656 - 1728): Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo:
• 16 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Prelude 02:40
• 17 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Allemande 01:29
• 18 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Air en Vaudeville-Mesme Air double 01:06
• 19 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Sarabande 02:15
• 20 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Gigue 01:26
• 21 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Menuet I-Menuet II 02:38
• 22 Suite in A Major, selections from Book II and IV for viola da gamba and continuo - Branle de Village 00:59
• Anonymous:
• 23 J'avois crû qu'en vous aymant 04:04
• Total Runtime 39:39

Info for Two

Two brings together the nationally renowned talents of Marais Project founding members, Jennifer Eriksson, viola da gamba, and Tommie Andersson, gallichon, theorbo and baroque guitar, in a seldom heard way. Each plays alternate brackets of solos on their respective instruments before embarking on a joint performance of a splendid suite by Marin Marais.

Guest artist, Susie Bishop voice, joins them for a gorgeous encore. The performers wanted to create the feel of a live performance in the way the music flows and the performers interact.

“The theorbo and the baroque guitar have a wonderful solo repertoire spanning hundreds of years” Jenny Eriksson commented, “Less so the gallichon, but Tommie arranged several pieces for this recording including a truly lovely Mozart adagio originally composer for the glass harmonica.” Tommie would like to dedicate his recording of Mozart's Adagio to the memory of recently deceased Swedish soprano, Eva Nässén.

The viola da gamba is also endowed with a rich treasure of solo works. For the first time in her career, Eriksson has performed and now recorded some of her favourite solo pieces, including the world premiere of a work written for her by Australian composer, Paul Cutlan. “Paul and I have known each other for many years and I deeply respect his musicianship. Sarabande is an arrangement of a movement of an earlier suite he wrote for viola da gamba and harpsichord. It is a privilege to bring this music to life for the first time.”

As might be expected, pride of place goes to the music of that giant of the viola da gamba, Marin Marais. “We have explored so many of his suites over the years and there is always a sense of achievement in committing another of the great man’s works to record,” says Eriksson. “Tommie and I know each other so well, and know the music so well, that it just flows from us!"

Jennifer Eriksson, viola da gamba
Tommie Andersson, baroque guitar

Jennifer Eriksson
completed her initial musical studies at the then NSW State Conservatorium of Music studying music education and cello with Barbara Woolley. Her first viola da gamba lessons were undertaken with Catherine Finnis in Sydney. She subsequently studied the viola da gamba with Jaap ter Linden at the Rotterdam Conservatorium for three years where she completed post-graduate studies in baroque music. She formed The Marais Project in 2000. Jennifer also directs the Musica Viva in Schools ensemble, Sounds Baroque. She was a founding member of the viol consort, “Seaven Teares” and in collaboration with renowned jazz musicians Matt McMahon and Matt Keegan, she assembled “Elysian Fields”, Australia’s only electric viola da gamba group, in 2015.

Since returning to Australia from Australia in 1988 Jennifer has performed with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the Victorian State Opera Orchestra, Salút Baroque, Opera Australia, the Renaissance Players, The Early Dance Consort, The Sydney Consort, Sydney Chamber Choir, The Parsons Affayre and numerous other ensembles.

Jennifer created The Marais Project with the aim of performing the complete works of the French baroque viola da gamba virtuoso, Marin Marais, a task that is more than 85% completed. As well as presenting an annual concert series, The Marais Project has performed live on several occasions for the ABC’s “Sunday Live” broadcasts, Radio National’s “The Music Show” and recorded studio concerts for ABC Classic FM. The ensemble released its first CD, “Viol Dreaming”, in October 2007. Their second CD “Love Reconciled” came out in 2010 to critical acclaim. In 2012 The Marais Project and Mara! produced a joint CD, “Mara! meets Marais”. 2013 saw the release of “Lady Sings the Viol”, a unique compilation of Jenny bio page b“covers” of songs from the 1300 to the present day. In 2015 The Marais Project released its 5th CD, “Smörgåsbord!” which explores Jennifer and lutenist Tommie Andersson’s Swedish heritage.

In addition to her focus on the early music repertoire, Jenny has commissioned more than 20 new Australian works for the viola da gamba including an Australian first work for viol consort and bass clarinet composed by Paul Cutlan and several new works for the electric viola da gamba by jazz composers Matt McMahon, Matt Keegan and Siebe Pogson.

Jenny was invited to take up a prestigious Winter Residency at Banff Arts Centre, Canada in early 2013. Her other ensemble, “Sounds Baroque” has previously been in residence at Bundanon Trust on the New South Wales’ south coast. During 2014 she was a soloist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in that country’s first ever complete performance of Bach’s St John Passion. In 2015 Jenny toured The Marais Project to the New Zealand International Early Music Festival in Dunedin.

Booklet for Two