Chamber music with Ensemble Ad Libitum

               is surprising and versatile;    

               colourful and exciting.

Ensemble    Ad Libitum

The Weather in the East; music of Geoffrey Grey.

The first performance took place during our chamber music series in the Willem Hijstekzaal in Maastricht (NL).

'This work is the first of four pieces depicting the seasons, their changes of weather, and in particular, currents of air, from gentle breeze to furious hurricane, that effect us daily. Autumn takes the listener from the end of a late summer in September through to the end of November and the beginning of winter. The tranquil opening of the gentle late Autumn becomes more disturbed as the work progresses, with squalls and showers becoming more and more frequent. There is a short respite in the middle of this period when the sun shines and the cowbells & church bells are heard in the fields. Suddenly the clouds gather and driving sleet and rain, hailstormsand bitter cold sweep away all memories of summer. The work ends with a brief portrayal of a snow-covered landscape, serene and content'.The work was written for and dedicated with great pleasure to tonight's performers, Ensemble ad Libitum.

The ensemble’s name, which means ‘at one’s pleasure’, is more than just a musical term: it is also an apt description of the ensemble’s wide-ranging possibilities and choice of repertoire. Performing alone and in duos, trios and quartets, the musicians regularly enlarge their repertoire by working together with another wind player and string player, thus expanding the ensemble’s programming possibilities.
In addition to the standard chamber music repertoire, Ad Libitum often performs compositions that are seldom if ever played. The group can, in fact, be justly credited with saving a number of splendid pieces from oblivion. No matter what the programme, however, this ensemble plays with a sense of commitment and infectious enthusiasm, never losing sight of its goal of providing audiences with top-quality concerts at a high professional level.
 

The roots of the Ensemble Ad Libitum are in the city of Maastricht, where its members became acquainted while studying at the Maastricht Conservatory and playing in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra. In the decade since it was founded, the Ad Libitum Ensemble has performed in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and France, as well as the Dutch Antilles and Aruba.The group has also made numerous recordings for radio and television.

 

Our repertoire now online!! Click here for our list of repertoire