When the two masters Antoine Forqueray and Marin Marais met, one known for being the devil, the other for being the angel of the viol, both were enthused over a new gifted student. In order to find out, which one had the better disciple, they arranged a competition. To their big surprise only one student, Ernst Christian Hesse, appeared. The viol virtuoso managed to study secretly with the devil and the angle at the same time. Realising the revelation of the secret, he escaped from the scene and left Paris forever. Back in Germany he united both elements, the angel and the devil-like playing. Together with his son Ludwig Christian Hesse, the last fiery viol virtuoso of sanssouci, he become a dedicatee of masterworks from the late baroque and early classical period.

This duoprogram with Vittorio Ghielmi, called by critics “the Heifetz of the viol”, will present pieces which Hesse father and son played. One of the highlights is a suite for two viols by Telemann with many influences from the polish folk music. This work was discovered recently in a transcription for two lutes and was arranged back to the original setting by us. Another jewel will be Arias from operas by Rameau arranged by Ludwig Christian Hesse for two viols. He made these arrangements for playing in duo with his student, Prince Frederick William II, who later became the King of Prussia and dedicatee of works by Mozart and Beethoven. Furthermor, we will play masterpieces from the berlin classic.