EarlyMusicNews.Org

“These pages have been written to explain a quaint aspect of French musical life under the reign of Louis XV. The hurdy-gurdy (Vielle à roue), which so far had been customarily an instrument used by beggars playing on streets corners (lira mendicorum), unexpectedly became the object of a sudden and powerful enthusiasm. From 1725 to 1765, with more than two hundred published pieces of music, it invaded the world of aristocracy and even conquered the royal family. In this study, we are making an attempt to understand the reasons for that sudden and ephemeral passion.

Our thesis is that the hurdy-gurdy became an instrument destined to serve the myth of Arcadia, commonly believed in during that period of time, by representing the image of the idealized countryman, a central character of the eighteenth century, with whom "personnes de qualité" tried to identify themselves. In order to remove and purify it from any memory of its association with beggars and to make it become the Lyre of Apollo, the manufacture, the playing, the repertory of the hurdy-gurdy had to be completely transformed. The challenge was also to promote an idealized country life so as to make the hurdy-gurdy an instrument worthy to enter the Pantheon of the noble instruments of the aristocrats. As to the repertory, is it possible to say that the hurdy-gurdy is suitable for any high-level music score? Or rather should we say that it could serve only the country repertory, which is then to be defined as music of a rustic and popular style, even though completely transformed by the highly technical task of adjusting music to the baroque taste, which we call "Baroquisation"

Let us add that we worked within the interdisciplinary framework not only of Musicology (by the study of performance techniques and repertory analysis), but also of Psychoanalysis, Mythology and sociology. ..“

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Added on: Jul 28, 2009 | Hits: 290

"This web site is devoted to musicians interested in playing early keyboard instruments using authentic techniques, and very especially to the readers of my Baroque Keyboard Fingerings book in its previous editions (1983, 1985, 1988, 2003). ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jan 15, 2009 | Hits: 493

“The Society for Musicology in Ireland was established in 2003 to promote and foster musical scholarship in all its forms throughout Ireland, north and south. It provides a forum for everyone interested in musicology, whether professional, academic, postgraduate or undergraduate student, or just with an interest in the study of music.

The Society for Musicology in Ireland (SMI) has been established to promote and foster musical scholarship in all its forms. The Society seeks to provide a forum for the practice of musicology which reflects the gamut of musical research in Ireland, including ethnomusicology, historical musicology, analysis, performance practice, textual criticism, archival research, organology music technology, cultural and social history and critical discourse, to name some of the disciplines pursued by musicologists in this country. ..“

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Added on: Jun 20, 2010 | Hits: 248

"The Academy Bartolomeo Cristofori, founded in Florence in 1989 by a group of friends and music lovers of ancient instruments, had as its goal to create a center, unique in Italy, devoted entirely to the fortepiano in order to be able to perform on original instruments and study in depth the styles of interpretation related to these. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 18, 2008 | Hits: 440

“The Academy of Ancient Music in Rovereto, founded in 1979, has been operating for over twenty five years in the region, nationally and internationally for the purpose of research, study and disseminate the music according to principles of historical accuracy, respecting the characteristics of the interpretation of the works and the sounds of musical instruments. This activity takes place through the organization of concerts, performances, conferences, exhibitions, publications, recordings, courses and competitions. The main feature of the Academy of Ancient Music is to directly produce much of this activity, through the commitment of its members: they comprise of academics, teachers and professional musicians, and a good part of advanced students and amateurs in musical practice.”

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 316

"The Centro di Musica Antica Pietà de’ Turchini is the result of the decision of musicians, musicologists and historians of the theatre to pool their personal experiences in research and the performing arts, setting up an interdisciplinary project centred on the history of music and drama in Naples during the Baroque period. The premises of the Centro di Musica Antica are part of a complex of historical buildings (Convent and Church of Santa Caterina da Siena) once known as the Conservatorio della Solitaria. ...

Since 1996, the Centro di Musica Antica has been promoting a wide-ranging cultural project based on the recuperation of the vast musical heritage constituted in Naples during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. This involves identifying and studying the sources for that fertile period of musical and theatrical production, organising concert series featuring the repertoire, and holding seminars and masterclasses in advanced Baroque performance for young musicians and singers. To further its research activities the Centre has set up a proficuous collaboration with prestigious Italian and European institutions including University of Naples "Federico II", Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, Fundaciò La Caixa de Barcellona and Fondation Royaumont de Paris. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 12, 2008 | Hits: 335

“The Centro Studi Opera omnia Luigi Boccherini (Onlus) of Lucca was established in November 2005 to carry out the editorial work relating to the complete works of the lucchese composer Luigi Boccherini. The choice of Lucca as a location is not by chance: Luigi Boccherini was born in Lucca, so it is the natural site on which to launch the Italian National Edition of Luigi Boccherini's Complete Works. The Centro Studi also hosts the work of the Italian National Edition of the Opera omnia of Pietro Antonio Locatelli and the musicological series Speculum Musicae, Studies on Italian Music History and Monumenta Musica Europea. Furthermore, the staff of the Centro Studi carry out the scientific and editorial work of numerous international musicological publications, including Boccherini Studies, offering the definitive record of international scholarly debate on the composer, and, together with other musicologists, the journal Ad Parnassum. A Journal of Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Instrumental Music, and the series Ad Parnassum Studies. The Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini organizes International Conferences and Symposia on various musicological topics and has founded the Boccherini Festival. The Centro Studi Opera omnia Luigi Boccherini-Onlus is a member of the Fondazione Promo P.A. di Lucca (www.promopa.it)”

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Added on: Dec 09, 2011 | Hits: 251

“The Giorgio Cini Foundation is a non-profit cultural institution based in Venice, Italy. It was constituted by Vittorio Cini, in memory of his son Giorgio, with the aim of restoring the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore (devastated after 100 years of military occupation) and of creating an international cultural centre that would re-integrate the Island into the life of Venice.

«The Giorgio Cini Foundation’s mission is to promote the redevelopment of the monumental complex on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore and encourage the creation and development of educational, social, cultural and artistic institutions in its surrounding territory.»

The creation of the Foundation was one of the most considerable private initiatives of the 20th century. The importance of this undertaking was borne out by the initial investment committed to rehabilitate the Island and by the many events the Foundation has promoted or hosted since. It is further substanstiated by the cultural patrimony conserved on the Island and, since 1984, at the Gallery of Palazzo Cini at San Vio.

Alongside the Foundation's commitment to its own research and the conferences and seminars growing out of this work, the Island welcomes events sponsored by distinguished cultural and scientific organisations. It has even been the site of major international summits (inprimis the G7 in 1980 and 1987).

The role of the Giorgio Cini Foundation is attested by the many highly esteemed intellectuals, artists, politicians and economists who have been involved in its programme, and by the recollections of scholars and guests who have spent time on the Island.”

Visit website for more information. The foundation offers many conferences and study days throughout the year. (ed.)

Added on: Nov 03, 2011 | Hits: 154

Musicologist in early music. Giulia Giovani holds a PhD is on Italian printed cantatas from 1620 to 1738. Main research topics: italian cantatas; history of printing and publishing in music.

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Added on: Oct 12, 2010 | Hits: 255

"This Web site was created in autumn 2003 without other purposes than those arising from the pleasure of contributing to the disclosure of some news on that genius whose art so much passion there, George Frideric Handel. " (transl. ed.) A site dedicated to all that is Handel. Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 27, 2008 | Hits: 513

“IBMP is a non-profit organization to which anyone can join after payment of the annual social. With the support of the Culture of Regione Piemonte, Fondazione CRT and Compagnia di San Paolo performs work of promoting studies, research and documentation, publications and recordings related to culture and the musical culture of Piedmont. Organizes exhibitions, conferences, conventions, concerts. It also proposes to undertake an inventory, indexing and cataloging of bibliographic music of the Piedmont Region understanding both in the geographical sense and in its current broader sense of history.“ (Google Translate)

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Added on: Jun 10, 2010 | Hits: 309

“Main research topics: music iconography; history of the lute and its music; historical and biographical reconstructions.“

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Added on: May 18, 2009 | Hits: 311

“Located in a hilltop medieval village in southern Tuscany, the Piccola Accademia di Montisi has been founded to provide a center of inspiration for musicians worldwide who have an interest in the harpsichord, its repertoire and its history.

The staff and trustees of the Piccola Accademia bring together significant experience in music, the broader arts, government, charitable foundation governance and business.  We see our role as providing a platform from which teachers, students, performers and audiences can build an academy in Plato’s sense of that word, meaning a place for developing and exchanging an advanced philosophy—which in our case is the philosophy of historic musical performance.  We will ensure that resources are gathered and managed appropriately, balancing the economic health and stewardship of the Piccola Accademia with providing access to the broader musical and local community.“

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Added on: Apr 29, 2011 | Hits: 220

“The Venice School of Early Music
(Scuola di Musica Antica di venezia, SMAV) is a non-profit organisation created in 1991 to promote the study of early music. It is the only school in Venice devoted to early music.

The main activity of the school is the organisation of specialist courses in early music performing techniques.

Besides its didactic activities SMAV also organises Early Music festivals, concerts and recordings: it was responsible for the International Festival of Early Music in Venice, in 1992 and 1994; from 1999 ito 2007 it has taken part every year in the Venezia Suona - Festa Europea della Musica; since 1997 it has been organizing every friday and saturday a series of concerts entitled Il Concertino in famiglia in association with the Querini Stampalia Foundation (more than 1000 concerts in twelve years).

In 1996 the teachers of the school recorded the CD La musica del Tiepolo (venetian music at the time of the painter Giambattista Tiepolo)
SMAV published the musical guide-book Venezia, i luoghi della musica (1995) by Aldo Bova, and I balli di Gaetano Grossatesta (2002), essaies on a recently discovered manuscript of Venetian Baroque dance.

SMAV promotes exchange projects with other associations and instutions: teachers of the school were invited to teach at the Conseravtories of Zwolle (Netherland), Potenza (Italy) and the universities of Graz (Austria) and Cremona (Italy). SMAV has been partner of MediMuses project, supported by the European Union. “ Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 22, 2009 | Hits: 310

"Early Music classes and projects are open to students from every department. In keeping with international trends, we define Early Music studies as making music with an understanding of history. We therefore also study performance practice of the post-Baroque. It is our aim to train both Early Music specialists aware of later styles and classical and modern musicians with insight into earlier styles."

See the website for Summer workshop details.

Added on: Apr 15, 2007 | Hits: 345

“The Royal Dutch Society for Music (KVNM) is the national professional association for musicology. The KVNM existed since 1868 and is the oldest organization in the musicological world. The Association organizes seminars and publishes scientific works in the field of Dutch music. The biannual journal (TVNM) is authoritative and internationally.

This website provides information on activities, publications and history of the Association. You can also contact us, sign up as member and order publications.“ (Google Translate)

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Added on: May 05, 2010 | Hits: 280

"At first sight La Folia already looks like an interesting building constructed quietly in the course of centuries on the foundations of earlier settlements. It's a great experience to see that the development of the numerous fascinating elements and delicate details is consuming composers, performers and listeners alike as an anchor in musical thought, like a cathedral built during centuries.

For those people who are interested in the folia theme there is a disturbing lack of good sources. The information available is very superficial and can only be found in very general reference works and review articles, apart from the scientifical study by Richard Hudson (see literature) which is only available at specialized conservatories and where the focus is on the transition of the early to the later folia. This website is an effort to collect as much relevant information as possible on la folia. Every contribution, be it a new line of approach, a suggestion or a discussion will be welcomed. Added to that it is almost impossible for one person to check all musical new releases for possible new variations of la folia.

This website was built in the hope that from every part of the world new discoveries will get their names here in the inventory, so that they will be part of a collective musical tradition and awareness.

Finally it serves as a tribute to the still growing organism called La Folia. ... " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 14, 2008 | Hits: 336

“Pegasus School for Early Music is a private school providing high quality education in music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, within a friendly atmosphere. Early Music is our passion, and we would like to pass this excitement on to you!

For all ages and levels, from children aged 4-5 to teenagers, adults and the general public who is curious about this music and its fascinating background, Pegasus School is here to provide the knowledge in an enjoyable way. Our vision is to expose a wide audience to the beauty and uniqueness of Renaissance and Baroque music played on period instruments and based upon knowledge of the corresponding styles. …”

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Added on: Nov 08, 2012 | Hits: 85

“A strong interest in early music, paralleled with a steadily growing contemporary repertoire, has given the recorder a completely different dimension over the last 50 years. The international image of both styles, in combination with a real professionalism in pedagogical fields, have challenged aspiring recorder players ever since. This period of development has seen the recorder (blockflute) programmed as a solo and chamber instrument in specialized contemporary festivals all over the world. It is a recognized and appealing instrument for composers of all styles, not only because of the wide range of instrument-types, but mainly because of the great abilities and flexibility of the professional player.

Insight into this enormous variety of literature, supported by solid and profound background information, and above all, a highly professional instrumental education, is what the so-called BLOK system offers to serious and motivated recorder students. Besides further digging into historical and traditional subjects, a thorough exploration of contemporary literature and techniques is of major importance.

The BLOK (block) was founded in the 70's by Walter van Hauwe and Kees Boeke and has become a conception for numerous recorder players around the world. From the very beginning the BLOK attracted students from all over the world and it typically contains about 10 nationalities every year. Having studied in Amsterdam seems for many students to be a guarantee for becoming recognized professionals, and many of them have since managed a good and satisfying living as professional and successful recorder players.“

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Added on: Sep 30, 2011 | Hits: 242

Music Division of the Royal Society of Sciences in Zeeland

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Added on: Sep 27, 2011 | Hits: 197

“Since its conception in 1999, Modus center for Medieval music in Oslo, Norway, has become a vital meeting point for scholars and performers interested in all aspects of medieval music. Under the direction of Gro Siri Johansen, Modus center for medieval music in Oslo has organized workshops and symposia on a variety of topics including chant performance, early polyphony and the performance of medieval songs.”

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Added on: Feb 24, 2012 | Hits: 197

“The Fryderyk Chopin Institute

The activities of the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, which was established in 2001
on the basis of an act of the Polish Parliament, cover the following areas:

• research and popularization of knowledge about Chopin’s life and work,
• publications,
• organization of concerts, conferences, courses,
• cooperation with institutions and organizations dealing in the protection of the Chopin heritage,
• gathering of Chopin-related archive materials and museum objects,
• monitoring of whether Chopin’s image and name are not used for commercial purposes,
• running a Chopin Information Centre (Internet site)“

Added on: Nov 01, 2009 | Hits: 255

“Welcome to Portuguese musicologist Luís C. F. Henriques webpage

Luís Henriques was born in Flores Island (Azores). He holds a Degree in Musicology from the University of Évora. His musical interests are Medieval and Renaissance vocal music.

His research interests are 16th- and 17th-century sacred polyphony from the Iberian Peninsula and the New World, especially of composers related to Évora Cathedral; late 18th- and 19th-century Portuguese and Brazilian sacred music; and music in the Azores Archipelago.”

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Added on: Aug 18, 2012 | Hits: 148

Portuguese Society of Music Research

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Added on: Nov 04, 2012 | Hits: 140

"("Gothenburg" in flight timetables) is situated o­n the west coast of Sweden: ca. 400 km north from Copenhagen, ca. 300 km south from Oslo and ca. 500 km west from Stockholm. It is the second largest city in Sweden with a population of about 500 000. It has a university of which the School of Music and the Göteborg Organ Art Center are parts. The Göteborg International Organ Academy is arranged by the City of Göteborg in collaboration with the Göteborg University / Göteborg Organ Art Center (GOArt) and the Academy of Music and Drama - also called Artisten ('the artist'). The School of Music, with the address Fågelsången 1 , where the Academy office is to be found, is situated in the middle of the city, near Götaplatsen where the Concert Hall, the Art Museum and the City Theater are located."

Added on: Mar 29, 2007 | Hits: 355