Scenes of a Folk Life | Agathe Ensemble

This year, Agathe Ensemble is fully immersing itself in the production of our second album.

Folk and popular music from the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, seen through the eyes of:

J. Röntgen, E. Grieg, and A. Maier

Eight musicians will take part in the production of this album.

The first concerts will take place on May 9 and 10, 2025. Will you be there?

Crowdfunding Campaign!

Help us make this project a reality! - Donate now!

We have launched a crowdfunding campaign via Voor de Kunst.

With your donations we can complete and bring this album to life. By supporting us, you don’t just help — you also receive wonderful rewards, such as the album, tickets to our concerts, illustration prints… and other great extras!

👉 Take a look at our crowdfunding page and donate now!

To the Crowdfunding

€ 10 or more - thank you!

I want to suppor this project and I don't need any reward in exchange.

€ 25 or more - Digital Album

You'll receive the digital album with all music tracks and the booklet as pdf

€ 35 or more - Scenes of a Folk Life: CD & Book

You'll receive a physical copy of the album: CD + book

€ 50 or more - Signed Album (CD & Book) + Thank you Postcard

Signed album by the artists + an exclusive postcard with a loving message for you

€ 75 or more - Tickets for a Release Concert

2 tickets for a release concert (of your choice) + all other rewards

€ 100 or more - Exclusive Artwork Print

A4 print of an illustration from Scenes of a Folk Life + all other rewards

€ 200 or more - Peak Behind the scenes

Join one of our rehearsals! Experience our creative process up close! + all other rewards

€ 300 or more - Thank you video

We are very thankful for your support and will record a (musical) video for you as a thank-you + all other rewards.

€ 500 or more - Your name on the credits

Your generous support deserves a place within the credits in the album. Thank you! + all previous rewards

Doneer nu!

Julius Röntgen

When young pianist and composer Julius Röntgen moved from Germany to the Netherlands in 1877, he quickly became an active part of the local cultural scene. He was particularly drawn to Dutch folk music, and through its songs and dances, he gained insight into the country’s popular traditions, daily life, and the spirit of its people. This music became a lasting source of inspiration in his compositions.

Folk Music

Like his close friend Edvard Grieg from Norway and his wife Amanda Maier from Sweden, Röntgen spent his life collecting and studying folk melodies. Folk music captures the essence of a people’s soul - simple yet profound, deeply rooted in tradition yet timeless in its beauty.

Agathe Ensemble presents Scenes of a Folk Life, featuring folk-inspired music from the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. Originally written for piano, these pieces have been arranged by the musicians themselves for strings and will be part of Agathe’s second studio album, set for release in 2026.

Program

Julius Röntgen:

Oud Hollandsche Boerenliedjes en Contradansen
Scenes from Dutch Life, Op. 81

Amanda Maier:

Swedish Melodies and Dances, Op. 6

Edvard Grieg:

4 Norwegian Dances, Op. 35
Scenes of a Country Life, Op 19

Agathe Ensemble:

🎻 Violin: Aleksandra Kwiatkowska, Leonid Nikishin, Ella van der Mespel, Raquel Marin
🎻 Viola: Almudena González-Regueral, Fernando Pérez
🎻 Cello: Ivan Nogueira, Jorge Municio

Presentation concerts:
May 2025

On May 9th and 10th we played in the Paradijskerk in Rotterdam and in Dordrecht. We were pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic, attentive and curious audience that came to celebrate this music with us – and it was nice to see some familiar faces again. Thank you for coming and your reactions! Look next to some pictures of the concerts!

But this project is far from over… There is much more to come! Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed of all developments.