It was pure magic! We had hoped for – and planned – that the full moon should appear in all it’s beauty while Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata was played in the park at Midtåsen during the celebration of his 250th anniversary. And our wish really came through! We’ve never experienced a more beautiful and deeper red moon colouring the fiord in the deepest shade of gold. The audience was moved by the sight – and of Sveinung Bjellands performance.

We have seldom been more inspired to carry on developing new cultural initiatives!

It is a must to perform Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge during the festival TO BEethoven – or not TO BEethoven. Probably one of Beethoven’s most “harsh” pieces – not at least performed in the fantastic acoustic in the Midtåsen Sculpture Pavilion by the Engegård Quartet on Sunday August 22 at 18.00. They will also play a wide range of fugues by J. S. Bach and W. A. Mozart – and György Kurtags Microludes for string quartet, opus 13 – Hommage à Mihály András  – as an interesting contrast to the fugues. In the second half we can enjoy Robert Schumann’s String Quartet no. 3, opus 41 in A-major.

Andebu has been an important place for our concerts during the Beethoven anniversary, and we would love to continue giving concerts in the medieval church. Elise Båtnes, violin, and Henninge Båtnes Landaas, viola, play duets by Mozart, Martinu, Brustad and Händel/Halvorsen Sunday August 29 at 18.00. Top musicians and music – in a wonderful acoustic.

Nordic Voices celebrates their 25th anniversary as ensemble. They have visited Midtåsen Sculpture Pavilion a few times before. They love singing there, and they have built a good relationship to the audience in the region. September 19 at 18.00 they will present music from their jubilee programme.

We’re hoping for better circumstances regarding the Corona restrictions this Autumn, and that it will be possible to welcome Trio Artio from Vienna in the first weekend of October. They will come here as a “gift” from Beethoven’s city – and as a part of our collaboration with The Austrian Embassy. During the same weekend Are Brean and Tor Espen Aspaas will give the concert talk Beethoven’s fantasizing brain! at Hjertnes kulturhus.

Tickets at Hjertnes kulturhus – hjertnes.no

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As a memory of a great cultural summer, we leave the programme on the web site for now.