Sunday: a day of rest that isn't quite one

After the overwhelming Saturday, Sunday seems to promise something more relaxed, with "only" three concerts on the schedule. That sounds almost like a vacation, though seasoned festival-goers know better by now.

You can start the afternoon with a film about Lassus, which is actually a rather brilliant idea: sit back in those soft red velvet seats, unwind for a bit, and pretend you're not in the middle of a multi-day musical endurance test.

But even on this more subdued day, a figure emerges who puts any sense of rest into perspective: Gesualdo. Everyone knows his story more or less, whether in a slightly romanticized version or not. I first learned about him during my cathedral choir days, when his life story was told with considerable drama. Since then, he's remained in my mind as a sort of Baroque rock star: brilliant, unpredictable, and, let's be honest, not entirely free from darker sides.

You hear that duality in his music too, which sounds just as often clear and transparent as it suddenly takes an unexpected, almost literally unsettling turn. It's music that sweeps you along and simultaneously makes you a bit uncomfortable, as if you're not entirely sure where it's headed — and that's precisely where its appeal lies.

The day closes in the Sint-Andrieskerk with music by Claude Le Jeune, performed by the Huelgas Ensemble. That's one of those combinations where you simply stop asking questions, sit down, and listen, confident that it will be good, very good indeed.

Monday: a weekday like no other

While Monday typically signals a hesitant restart to the work week, Laus Polyphoniae seems to give it an entirely different meaning. Today too, three concerts are scheduled, and the pace is maintained effortlessly (or relentlessly).

The day opens with a program by Public Transport, a name you'd best Google with some caution, unless you happen to have an interest in timetables and tram networks. The ensemble performs music by Richard Dering, a composer with strong ties to Antwerp. Which immediately brings to mind a time when Antwerp and its cathedral formed the center of the European musical world, where composers and styles encountered one another — an idea that doesn't always come naturally to us today.In the evening, Paul O'Dette takes over, and that is, without exaggeration, one of the great names in the world of early music. With his lute, he opens a sonic universe that is simultaneously intimate and impressive, and this time he brings music from Central Europe, a region that in this repertoire often remains somewhat overlooked by the general public.

The day concludes with the ensemble

Comet Musicke and a program centered on madrigals. Moreover, you get another chance to hear instruments like the (bass) serpent, which is something of an experience in itself, if only because the instrument looks almost as intriguing visually as it sounds. Tuesday: the rhythm is in full swing

Tuesday: the rhythm kicks in

By Tuesday, you will likely have found your festival rhythm, which is to say that you move from concert to concert without too much deliberation, and the time of day takes on only a relative significance.

The Officium Ensemble brings Portuguese polyphony, and that's an excellent opportunity to correct a common misconception. Because Portugal and Spain are geographically so closely connected, their musical traditions are often lumped together, but if you listen carefully, you'll quickly hear that Portuguese polyphony has its own distinctive tone color and sensitivity that clearly sets it apart from its Spanish counterpart.

In Sint-Augustinus, a special program unfolds that is situated in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège around 1600. The ensemble InAlto presents music that finds itself somewhere between French and German influences, resulting in a surprising and eclectic whole that perfectly mirrors the cultural crossroads of that era.

Earlier in the day, also in the Augustine Church, {{NOTRANSLATE_1}} provides a more intimate experience. Their name, literally "close to your ear," proves to be no empty promise, as their way of making music creates a proximity that you rarely experience so directly in a concert hall. Another remarkable experience is offered by the vocal ensemble Wednesday: halfway through and still full of surprises

Wednesday, August 26 brings us to the midpoint of the festival, a moment when some fatigue might begin to creep in, were it not that the program once again offers enough stimulation to keep your attention sharp.

In the evening,

Ensemble Irini takes the stage, a group dedicated to a cappella music that effortlessly connects different time periods with one another. Their program combines works by Giovanni Gabrieli, one of my personal favorites and a composer who forms a bridge to the Baroque, with Byzantine music. On paper, that might seem like an unexpected combination, but if you've ever stood in San Marco in Venice, you intuitively feel that these worlds are closer to each other than you might suspect at first glance. During the day, a lecture by historian

Hans Mulder provides a welcome addition, because it gives context to the world in which this music was created. How did people live around 1600, what drove them, and what ideas shaped their view of the world? These are questions that only enrich the music we hear this week. And then there's Dowland, presented by {{NOTRANSLATE_2}}, who takes us into a more introspective, almost melancholic atmosphere. His music has that special quality of being both simple and profound, accessible without ever becoming banal. I'll admit frankly that I've used his work more than once in an educational context — which usually means it's both rewarding material and somewhat indestructible — but I have no doubt that it will sound here in a performance of exceptional quality.

Still three beautiful days to go. Will you join me? Musical JestsTo be continued!

Angelus Domini Descendit - G. Gabrieli

About two months from now, on August 21, Laus Polyphoniae 2026 begins: the annual high mass of early music in Flanders. This year's theme is Polyphonic Europe around 1600. In three installments, I'll guide you through the program, with a personal touch here and there. Sunday: a...

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