EarlyMusicNews.Org

“Abendmusik Concerts are named after a tradition—begun in the seventeenth century and perhaps best known under Buxtehude around 1700—of giving public concerts in churches outside of worship services, often financed by businessmen and private donors. In this series the Bach Society presents secular works, larger sacred works such as the passion settings and oratorios, and guest ensembles in a concert setting.
                

Music by Cornysh, Browne, and Mouton 

Location: Blessed Sacrament Church, 5041 9th Ave. NE, Seattle WA, US

“Between June 7 and 24, 1520, in fields near Calais, there took place one of the most spectacular political summit meetings of all time. Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France met to seal a treaty of friendship between their two warring countries, with no expense sparred. Everything was carefully prepared to make the surface seem smooth, yet everything had an undercurrent of the most intense rivalry, from the negotiations of high state to the wrestling, the food, the jousting--and the music. …
          

From the February 24, 2012 newsletter, Scherzi Musicali will be performing two concerts at the  Festival van Vlaanderen. Details below.
                     

Cantates All Saints and All Soul’s Day

“For the 18th time Musica, Impulse Centre for Music organizes an international master class. Musicians from all over the world participate in these master classes. In this edition Sigiswald Kuijken passes on his immense experience and vision to young musicians who seek their way in the world of early music.
                

“Tune thy Musicke to thy Hart has become the third Stile Antico disc to be honoured by French magazine Classica. According to the citation, Stile Antico and Fretwork 'adapt wondrously to the diversity of styles, and the large polyphonic structures are here rendered with rare precision.'”
              

GORDON PINSENT TO LAUNCH OTTAWA CHAMBERFEST 2012

“March 21 at 7:00PM, Gordon Harrison Gallery
Legendary Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent will be guest of honour at a party to formally launch the 19th edition of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival. The invitation-only event will be held at the Gordon Harrison Gallery, 495 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, on Wednesday, March 21 at 7:00PM.
 
Mr. Pinsent will make his debut at Ottawa Chamberfest 2012 as narrator of The Carnival of the Animals and Enoch Arden.
            

“Musikmesse Frankfurt - The International Fair for Musical Instruments, Sheet Music, Music Production and Music Business Connections

The Musikmesse is the world's leading trade fair for the world of music. Here, you will find a complete range of products with everything required for making music, not to mention innumerable workshops, concerts, demonstrations and discussion events. …”
                  

From the latest Colbert Artists Management newsletter

“As we welcome the warmer weather and the added sunlight of springing forward, we also welcome new growth here at Colbert Artists.  As promised in last month's newsletter, we've since announced the arrival of two new artists to our roster: soprano ELIZABETH FUTRAL, and baroque conductor and harpsichordist JEANNETTE SORRELL. “
     

Location: The Church of St John the Evangelist at Duke and Water Streets, Kitchener ON, CA

“Our final Bach Vespers for 2011-2012 will be on Sunday, April 1 at 4 p.m. at our usual location, The Church of St John the Evangelist at Duke and Water Streets in Kitchener.  The Ensemble will be singing Bach’s great, early cantata 106, “Gottes Zeit ist der allerbeste Zeit”, also known as ‘Actus Tragicus’.  The motet is “Fuerchte dich nicht” by Johann Christoph Bach, the member of the Bach clan most highly esteemed by the family next to Johann Sebastian.  They called him “the profound and expressive composer”.   Come and hear why.” (Ken Hull, Artistic Director)
                  

“This month's news from CORO includes another new release and our special selection of Easter recordings which provide opportunities for reflection and celebration alike. We hope you find something in the selection to help you welcome in the warmer spring weather in the run up to Easter.

Also look out for The Sixteen’s James MacMillan CD on BBC Radio 3’s CD Review on Saturday 17th March. …”
                        

Weekend specials at ArkivMusic where you may find some early music titles of interest. Of note:“Los Pajaros Perdidos / Christina Pluhar, L'arpeggiata” -- Echoes from the pre-Columbian era, African rhythms, and the styles and structures of the European Baroque all enrich this thrilling and arresting fusion of musical styles from the 17th century to the present day.
                           

“Following on from my blog post on Semibrevity about Mary Potts, the forgotten harpsichord teacher of Christopher Hogwood and Colin Tilney, I’ve been looking into who else, from Mary’s circle, is remembered – or not.” Semibrevity blog.
         

Location: First Moravian Church, 154 Lexington Ave at 30th Street, New York City

“The Queen's Chamber Band & Choir (with guests Janet Steele and Janice Thomas) perform Bach's Cantata 100 (Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan) with soloists Sharla Nafziger, soprano; Marshall Coid, countertenor; Andrew Fuchs, tenor; and, Constantinos Yiannoudes, bass-baritone. Violinist Robert Zubrycki, aided by his colleagues Peter Seidenberg, cellist, and Elaine Comparone, harpsichordist, perform Bach's Sonata in C minor for Violin and Obbligato Harpsichord (BWV 1017). Flutist Karla Moe and violist Veronica Salas join cellist Seidenberg and harpsichordist Comparone for Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Quartet in G Major. The entire Band (including oboist Marsha Heller and violinist Lori Miller Abbot) opens the program with Handel's Concerto Grosso in D, Opus 3, #6. The choir and soloists perform (in English) choral works by Johann Sebastian's cousins, the brothers Johann Michael (1648-1694) and Johann Christoph (1642-1703), described by Johann Sebastian as "the great and expressive composer."  Cantata 100 will be sung in German.
                      

VICES & VIRTUES Passionate Music of Early Europe

PASSION will wind its musical way through June in Washington, as it has through centuries of music.

“This intriguing theme will unleash creative forces in our artists’ programming. We can look forward to emotional performances of sacred or secular passion – love, intrigue, jealousy, death, spirituality.

As has become a tradition, the Festival will offer events throughout the entire month of June. We invite you to take expeditions into the heart of D.C. to attend our concerts, visit museums, try new restaurants, stroll the neighborhoods.
                        

The course is already full. But everyone is welcome to the free show moment on Sunday 25th March at 3 pm!

Location: Academy of Music, Word and Dance Lier, Gasthuisvest 50, 2500 Lier

In 2012 the annual Gabrieli workshop expands to both instrumental and vocal-instrumental works:

• Nunc dimittis servum tuum à 14 (vocalists: soprano, 2 altos, 2 tenors, bass)
• Magnificat à 12 (vocalists: soprano, 2 altos, 2 tenors, bass)
• Lieto Godea à 8 (vocalists: soprano, alto, tenor, bass)
• Anima mea à 12 (vocalists: soprano, 2 altos, 2 tenors, bass)
• Dulcis Jesu patris imago à 20 (vocalists: soprano, 2 altos , 2 tenors, bass)
                
  

“Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir with this concert exploring the power of words and music from the baroque and beyond: songs of praise and penitence, of love and regret, of joy and celebration. Composers include Bach, Handel, Rameau, Martin, Poulenc, Tavener and Whitacre. …
         

“FIMA - Italian Foundation for Early Music - formerly known as SIFD (Italian Recorder Society, founded in 1971 by Giancarlo Rostirolla) - is a non-profit organization based in Rome. FIMA runs every year in Urbino an International Course of Early Music, an Early Music Festival and a Trade Exhibition for instruments makers.
         

“Harmonia Mundi is well known as one of the finest independent classical record labels in the world. In the United States, they also distribute many other exceptional European labels which share their standards of excellence. This month at ArkivMusic, we are turning the spotlight on a handful of these "boutique" classical labels and the terrific classical recordings they produce. …”
               

Location: Abigail Adams Smith Auditorium 417 East 61st Street, New York NY, US

“An evocation of an evening in the palaces and country houses of England's great Georges, with an introduction to the musical developments of the period.  Works by Purcell, Bach, Handel, Haydn and Mozart performed by the Sinfonia Players with guest vocal soloist Rufus Müller.”
                          

Location: Antwerp, Belgium

“In 2012 Antwerp's early music festival Laus Polyphoniae will focus on the 'Mare Adriatico', the Adriatic Sea. For the first time in its history the festival will have not one but two artists in residence:

• Daedalus directed by Robert Festa
• Dialogos directed by Katarina  Livljanić.

Acclaimed projects like the International Young Artist's Presentation and the concerts for babies will be continued.
               

In the cozy and beautiful environment of the Church of Santa Barbara dei Librai in Rome a reconstruction of a XVII century mass celebration, based on Frescobaldi’s Messa della Madonna and coeval vocal music, in the perfect style of period religious rites.

Nell'affascinante e raccolto ambiente della Chiesa di Santa Barbara dei Librai, nel cuore di Roma, una ricostruzione idealizzata di una celebrazione liturgica dei primi anni del XVII secolo, basata sulla Messa della Madonna di Girolamo Frescobaldi (tratta dai suoi Fiori Musicali), sommo organista ferrarese trapiantato ed attivo a Roma a cavallo tra il XVI e il XVII secolo, e su musiche vocali coeve. Organo e voci si alternano nel puntualizzare i vari momenti della celebrazione nello stile dell'epoca, quando la musica costituiva l'unico contatto tra celebrante e fedeli nei riti delle varie cappelle musicali romane.
                 

(Italian Renaissance and Baroque Dance“Fencing” Workshop)

“The Marguerite, whether flower, symbol or name, is the theme of the fourth summer internship organized by Bassa Toscana. … Like dance, fencing, as proposed at the initiation stage, meets the same rigor and beauty of movement in space. This discipline is found in early writings of the quattrocento in the manual "Flos Duellatorum" of Fiore dei Liberi. Thoinot Arbeau himself in "the Orchesographie" describes a war dance “Les Bouffons” where the current vocabulary of combat is already quoted (but dancing!).  …”

“Take your chance to launch your career! As a vocal and/or instrumental ensemble playing on historically authentic instruments you can participate in the International Young Artist's Presentation. If you are selected, you will be awarded with 2 days of coaching sessions by Jill Feldman and offered a stage during the early music festival Laus Polyphoniae 2012.”
                     

Location: Marseilles, France

"Passion(s) et débordements" (Passions and Excesses) are on the agenda of the tenth Festival "Mars en Baroque", unmissable event for lovers of music and art. For this special edition, it was indeed an exceptional theme.

The "extraordinary" has attracted many artists of the Baroque era, fascinated by the delicate balance point where the excess tipped the reason of man. The spectators will feel this dizzying attraction on a day of "excess" Italian. They will be able to hear three composers, Domenico Scarlatti, Arcangelo Corelli and Carlo Gesualdo, whose music has never ceased to amaze with their novelty. ...”
                    

“[SEATTLE, WA]-Early Music America will sponsor a new Baroque Performance Competition in 2012 for the purpose of encouraging the development of emerging ensembles in the performance of Baroque music. “