Wagendorp Concertino

In November 2021 my friend Bert Wagendorp (writer of the bestseller ‘Ventoux’ and many other lovely books) celebrated his 65th birthday in Paris. As a gift for this birthday he received a small booklet where many of his dear friends wrote a 65-word story to commemorate the event (a great idea of his girlfriend Wilma) and I decided to write him a 65-note piece for piano, instead of using words. A small enchanting  melody (at least in my perception…).

I started working around this melody and don’t ask me how but slowly it turned into a small concertino for flute and strings, the 65 notes for Bert literally quoted in the beginning of the 2nd movement and the starting point for all other movements. Just for fun I decided to ask a dear friend and great musical talent, flutist/singer Anna May van der Feen, if she would have a look and listen and if this would be something for her final exam at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. She was really enthusiastic and so said so done: on the 1st of July 2022 the ‘Wagendorp’ Concertino had its premiere in the Sweelinck Hall of the CvA, with Bert and me in the audience. And a sensational premiere it was with Anna May enchanting the audience…..

Guillermo Lago, August 2022